


Coming Home

by Fizzabel



Category: Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare, malec - Fandom
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-17
Updated: 2015-02-05
Packaged: 2018-02-09 07:58:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 10
Words: 46,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1975047
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fizzabel/pseuds/Fizzabel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He signed the paper and even in his drunk state he could see the outline of the word 'Lightwood' written on the paper. Sebastian gave an evil chuckle and twisted the ring around his finger, enveloping them both in darkness.<br/>~~~~<br/>Alec is kept slave and prisoner under Sebastian's watch and being 'disciplined' to do as he says. While the others back in New York struggle to find a way to trace or contact them in any way, to find a single lead. Will they eventually find Alec? Is he okay!? Better read and find out ;)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The air was crisp and well below freezing as it blew through the iron barred window. Alec sat huddled in the corner forcing himself to stay strong and not to break down into tears again, he wore his shadowhunter gear but had been stripped of all weapons and steles so his belt was useless but was a small help to keeping him warm. Sebastian didn't care much for him, found the nearest cell and threw him in. Literally. 

Sebastian had promised him hospitality, food and water, but not in these conditions! When you're drunk you don't pay attention to details, that was the largest piece of guilt buried deep inside Alec's brain. Maybe if he weren't drunk on that one night he might not be in this mess. 

It was late, Alec was angry and needed something to release it, so he went to the 'Bloody Hound', and there was Sebastian sitting in a corner talking to a couple shax demons.....

Alec sat down on the bar stool and ordered a large beer, his head was pounding with thoughts rushinng here, there and everywhere. He noticed Sebastian a couple stools away tucked in the corner of the room probably planning how to ruin the whole world but right now he didn't care. The beer arrived and he took a large swig of it. He was surprised no-one recognized Sebastian, the pub was glamoured itself; perhaps it was the way he was disguised. He had died his hair a bright orange, he wore green contacts and he dressed formally, something he never did; knowing him for some time it was completely normal to recognize Sebastian by now, especially since they were on the look out for him. 

Alec went to take another drink but found his glass empty, he called for another and continued to watch Sebastian, he kept looking away from the demons to smirk at Alec like the devil he was. He'd never learnt much demonology when Hodge tutored him and his knowledge slowly faded as the alcohol leaked into his system, but some words he could recognize from the strange tounge the demons spoke. "World" "Destroy them all" and "Who". 

After about five large beers Alec was officially drunk and never left sight of Sebastian ever after the demons had left. Sebastian came and sat next to Alec who swayed slightly from side to side. "Hello there Lightwood. Here to come rat me out?"

"You're a bad guy Sebastian...." he hiccuped, "I like that."

"Someone's drunk," he muttered quietly so Alec couldn't hear, "come with me Alec."

"Where? I don't...." he hesitated thinking, "wait yeah I do! I hate the institute, I hate the people there. They can all go die in downworld!" he exclaimed getting some weird looks from the downworlders.

"Sorry fellas, he's drunk!" Sebastia faked a smile and laughed, "away. Help me in my quest, we can let your friends die in the hands of the faeries."

"They do deserve that but everyone?"

"Okay, not everyone. We can start small with the people you hate! You love power Alec, deep inside you want power. You're always known as the weak one, soft hearted, Jace is a more powerful fighter and with Magnus you were never on top."

"Yeah! You're right! That... that's not fair!"

"So will you come with me Alec? Will you help in my duty?"

"Yeah! Lets go right now!"

 

"No, first sign this, and please make the writing legible. I know it's hard when you're drunk."

"Hey I'm no drunk!" he burped loudly, "okay maybe a bit!"

He signed the paper and even in his drunk state he could see the outline of the word 'Lightwood' written on the paper. Sebastian gave an evil chuckle and twisted the ring around his finger enveloping them both in darkness.

He had woken in the cell later the following day. Sebastian was sat outside the cell looking bored, playing around with magic. He smirked at Alec who lay on the floor. "Man you sleep for ages after getting totally wasted you know that?" he chuckled lightly, "hangover? Sorry mate, no toilet. You know I took you for someone with wits, thought you might have the brains to realise coming along was a terrible idea, even if you were drunk."

He had said nothing in response, just moaned and turned around to face the wall. He had heard Sebastian get up off the floor, "Do you remember any of last night? I'll come back when you're a bit more chatty." He had turned away but paused for a moment, "oh yeah, I took your weapons and steles, I know every shadowhunter's secret pockets and everything so you have nothing. Not even the sparkly hairclip I found in your hair, you really got to let Magnus go. Pathetic." And then he had walked away, his footsteps echoing off the concrete floor.

Alec had felt sick to the stomach. He had needed to rid of the alcohol that gathered at the back of his mouth along with other unknown substances, he certainly wouldn't swallow it so he crept to a corner near the bars and threw everything up. He had kept hurling even when he felt hollow inside, as if he had thrown up all his insides. He wiped his mouth with his sleeve and leaned back on his hands. He had to clear his mind, find out where he is, figure a way out and how to stop Sebastian in whatever he was doing. Because whatever it was, it wasn't good. 

He had looked around the room taking in his cell, his foot had a long chain which let him go all around the cell, no furniture, not even a bed, a high window with iron bars; he was too short to see out but he was sure someone taller like Sebastian or Magnus could see in. Magnus, he thought, Jace, Issy, mum...even Clary. Help me.

He had refused to let himself cry, it would just prove to Sebastian how weak he was. Alec had to remain strong and think happy thoughts or happy memories, create his own fantasy world to live in. No, that would make him a quitter and a server of Sebastian, things would be too easy and everyone he knew would disappointed in him fight for not going down without a worthy fight. Weapon or no weapon he would fight to the death if he had to, die with at least a bit of dignity that had stuck with him.

Four days later and nothing. Alec had done nothing except shout and jump up and down. He just sat huddled in the corner as the cold wind blew against his skin causing goosebumps to rise repeatedly. Never had he felt so alone, so lost, so misguided; he just wanted to go home. People must be looking for him by now, realise he's missing and not with Magnus or with his dad in Idris who would be a last resort. But how would he know? Last thing he said to them was, "I hate you all! I wish I could never see you again!"

Never had he been more wrong, he wanted to see them all again. Even just for a few minutes. Groaning, he pulled his knees and hid his face inbetween them and finally let the tears fall, it was such a great idea since anything he did, including crying, drained his energy which was already low. Only four days and Alec had started losing a bit of weight, Sebastian only gave him two slices of bread, an apple and a bottle of water a day. His stomach grumbled constantly and it kept snapping him out of fantasy and into the horrible reality he lived in. "Hey Lightwood."

Alec looked up at Sebastian with a tear stained face, along with a sad expression. He saw the camera in his hand which made Alec's eyes open wide at his realisation. He dropped his legs and puts his arms at his sides and stared at the camera, failing to look angry. "Smile for the camera, your little friends and family are going to see! So make an effort eh?" He chuckled and brought it up to his eye.

Alec's stomach chose the wrong time to churn with pain, as he clutched his stomach and shut his eyes closed with pain he heard the click of the shutter button. Glaring at Sebastian he began shouting, "I hate you! I hope you go rot in hell along with your father! You don't deserve to be even a millionth shadowhunter, go back to Lilith in the demon realm where you belong!" He spat, but Sebastian barely flinched, "go join your father in hell Sebastian. He's not proud of you, maybe before but no longer. He doesn't love you!"

"Shut up." Sebastian murmured, clearly Alec had hit his weak point.

"He never loved you because you're a monster! Why do you think your mother left? She couldn't stand the sight of you and neither can Clary your own sister! They both despise you, Valentine to!"

"ENOUGH!" he screamed and threw a lightning bolt at Alec which sent sharp and harsh sparks throughtout his body making him jolt. Sebastian snapped another picture and laughed, "now don't forget your punishment. Never speak about my father like that again, and I couldn't care less about my mother! And leave Clary alone, I know you have a grudge on her because she's taking Jace away but you cannot talk about her that way." He paused and stared at the ground, "she does love me.... I'm a monster but she loves me unconditionally." Then he walked away to do whatever it was with those pictures. Alec leaned back against the wall in victory, he shut his eyes hoping to catch a small nap, ignoring the cold breeze still brushing against his face; only thinking of how he could get Sebastian to break.

~*~

To the god awful inhabitants on the New York Institute,

Judging by what I called you, you probably know it is I, Sebastian, or as I prefer, Jonathan. I'm writing to inform you that a war is coming and you should prepare. I have the whole race of demons and the Fair Folk on my side so you do not stand much of a chance. I suggest you surrender to my power and let me take over the stupid Clave and choose who I please as heads; unless of course you decide to go ahead with the war in which case I will inform those few survivors who surrender or just my own race entirely on what my rules and regulations shall be. I shall destroy the accords and burn the Clave to the ground, bringing Idris with it. 

Now I'm sure a question on your mind must be 'Where's Alec?', am I right? Well he is right here with me, safe and sound is up to your opinion if you look at the first picture I have attatched, so full of joy. Of course I may want to inform you that he has given up, he hasn't put up much of a fight but who can blame him? He's weak. You must be disappointed, especially you, Isabelle, your own brother not going down without a fight against me. If you want to add yet another crime to my list of abduction, don't. Alec signed an agreement for him to come with me and help in what I am trying to succeed in; that is the second piece of paper I have attatched.

I can predict that one of who reads this, mosty likely the last will throw this in the fire and not take it to the Clave, wouldn't be surprised if it was Jace who does it, I grew up knowing all about him so it would be typical of him with his anger issues and all. I don't care who you tell, what spells you use, you'll never find me or Alec until the battle begins.

Also, isn't Alec meant to be well behaved? Today as I took the pictures he made some remarks about my family. Clary, especially you and our dear father. He says you don't love me, is this true? Do you really not love your dear brother? After all, I cared for you through all those countries when you lived with Jace and I, it was nice to have familiar company and now I'm meant to think you hate me! Along with mother and father! In fact, no, Jocelyn will never be my mother, Lilith is. Lady of Darkness. Anyway, if Alec keeps misbehaving he'll just have to be punished, surely you'd punish him? It's the sane thing to do. Look at the third picture attatched. 

If you have any methods I'd love to know, but wait... You can't contact me in any way, I even swapped countries to send you this. Sent from Shanghai, don't believe me? Feel free to waste time you could spend pointless searching into pointless tracking. So since I have to do this alone, I'll use father's methods. Ask Jace, he knows what I mean. Or Clary, pretty sure she's seen him naked by now, silly little love birds.

See you at the battle.

Yours,

Jonathan Christopher Morgenstern.

P.S Alec screams in his sleep for help, is that normal? Or is it just me? Ha!

"Bullshit!" Isabelle screamed scrunching the note up and throwing it across the room, tears falling from her eyes like waterfalls blurring her vision, "He's lying! Those pictures are fake! I refuse to believe any of it! Why won't you just die Sebastian!?"

Her bedroom door burst open and Clary stood in the doorway looking as if she hadn't slept in days. "Izzy?" she asked, her voice filled with concern, "what happened?"

Weakly she pointed to the paper ball on the floor, tentatively Clary picked it up and read the note. Her and Alec had never been very close but the comment about her loving him filled her with rage, along with everything else in the letter she turned back to Isabelle who tried her hardest to keep back sobd by hiccuping and sniffling. "Go to the drawing room, I'll go wake everyone up." Clary instructed and Isabelle gave a small nod before grabbing her dressing gown off the floor.

Clary ran to Jace's room and pounded on his door until she heard him shout for her to stop. "Get up and get yourself to the drawing room! Serious business is going down! It's the middle of the night so believe me!"

Then she ran off to Maryse's room, being kinder she knocked on the door multiple times before she heard a grunting response, "Whaaaat?" she droned out.

"We need to have a serious business in the drawing room right now! Don't bother getting dressed come immediately! Izzy needs you." Then Clary turned and run before realising it was just the four of them in the institute, so she decided to call Magnus. Surely he would care? His phone kept going to voicemail but she didn't give up, so after a while she left a message, "Magnus, I know you're there and yes, it is me, the annoying little ginger one. Look, Alec has been missing for four days and we know how and why, almost. Anyway, if you still love him which is quite obvious, come on over and we'll talk. We need all the help we can get." Hanging up she walked to the drawing room knowing the others wouldn't be as alert as her except Izzy.

Everyone was already there, Jace was almost about to fall asleep again and Maryse was staring at the fire, thinking it would help keep her awake. "Good you didn't pass out in the hall. Where's Izzy?" Clary said formally.

"Here." came a small whisper from one of the chairs, "mum." She held her arms wide open and waited for her mum to walk into them. 

Maryse shook her head at Izzy thinking this was a 'serious meeting' she had conjured up when it was just trouble going on in her life. Clary handed Maryse the letter and went to sit on Jace's lap, he was asleep but Maryse's loud scream of "NO!" woke him back up.

Maryse began crying and thrust the letter in his face and ran over to Isabelle and they began crying silently together. Shadowhunters were strong people when it came to death, like when little Max died, Isabelle was sad for days but didn't absolutely break down into tears for ages. No, this was different. Her last remaining brother, been 'kidnapped' by Sebastian and now being tortured in ways only he and Jace seem to know. "Jace...." Clary whimpered, "ow. You're...hurting me!"

Jace ignored her, he was pressing into her side with his fist trying his hardest not to hit something. The war he was planning, taking his parabatai and hurting him, Clary and the punishments he may be forced to release upon Alec. Finally hearing Clary's whimpers he lessened his grip and whispered in pure shock and hatred, "Alec will suffer terribly."

Clary looked up at him, she hooked her arms around his waist and snuggled up, hoping her presence and their touch would calm him down. "What did Valentine do Jace? What does he mean?" Isabelle sobbed.

"So many different things...It all depends on what he does." Jace replied still sounding distant.

"Well, what if he misbehaved?" Maryse piped.

"Depends on how bad, we got whipped, Sebastian harsher judging by his scars."

"He said something about discipline."

"Clary will remember this," he looked down at her and kissed her forehead, "I told her to get to sleep, Valentine gave me a hunting falcon and I tamed it, super proud I was told to discipline it not make it kind as a cat, then he killed it right in front of me."

"Oh yeah. I remember. When I first met you, around then." Clary whispered.

"Course Sebastian knows magic know, judging by Alec's position in the second ghastly picture, he got electrocuted. Knowing Sebastian he probably threw a lightning bolt but of course it could've been his shackle." Silence passed over them as their brains all filled with thoughts, "anyone else think he looks thinner?" 

Isabelle came over and looked at the photo and cried again, "Yeah. He's thinner. And his weapons belt is empty of everything, he's defenceless. He hasn't given up, he simply can't fight. Alec doesn't give up and he knows what we'd think if he did. He'd think we'd be disappointed, he's trying, the remarks about family. Any ideas Clary?"

"No. But Alec is right in what he said, mom and I don't love him. Valentine probably did, he even admitted that he was too demon for his liking; so I doubt it was unconditional love." 

Silence fell over the conversation once more until they heard the doorbell ring. Clary felt a smile creep upon her face as she ran to the door for downworlders to use and literally flung it open, "Magnus!" She shrieked with glee, "you came."

"Yes yes I came for Alec, just because I broke up with him doesn't mean I'm the one who gets over it quickest. I mean have you seen my apartment? Ask Jace." Magnus sighed in defeat, "quit staring as if I'm a pig flying through a flaming hoop wearing rollerblades farting out rainbows."

Clary shook her head and turned and became sad again as she remembered why she brought Magnus here. Back in the drawing room Magnus took a seat on a chair and said, "So explain everything."

Clary handed him the letter and attatchments while explaining their thoughts and theories on the situation, basically a long version of 'we have no clue where Alec is so we're worrying ourselves to near death'.

"So you have no idea of his whereabouts, no idea what Sebastian is planning to make Alec do, how long we have or how trustworthy it is Alec will be sane when we find him? I mean Sebastian is pretty manipulative, and if he dare hurt my little nephilim again which sadly, I'm positive he will I will personally kill him. With some help, he's lethal." Magnus said, his voice filled with anger, concern and mainly worry.

"That about sums it all up." Jace said with one hand covering his face, the other entwined with Clary's.

Magnus sighed and put his face in his glittery hands. No matter what time or place, Magnus was always covered in glitter, Alec had proof but of course he was absent at the time which only made Magnus feel sick. They all heard a low sound, half groan, half moan; at the door sat Church lying on his back playing dead. "You stupid cat!" Izzy shouted, getting Church's angry attention making him hiss at her, "Alec is missing! Sebastian took him so stop being so attention seeking! Stupid fur ball!" 

Church stopped hissing and stared at Isabelle with big, black eyes. He walked towards her and jumped into her lap and meowed what was probably an apology has he began wailing quietly. Izzy giggled slightly and stroked his fur, soon turning from wailing into purring. 

After a while Magnus yawned and stood up, "Look, I know we're all deeply upset but the best thing is to sleep on it. I'll return around mid-day and we can discuss what we can try and do. There has to be something." He watched everyone's expressions turn from sadness, to anger, to tiredness, "especially you Izzy. Simon misses you, invite him over I'm sure you'll need the company. Jace and Clary, you know the drill, and Maryse, sorry but-uh. Try and sleep well? Try not to think of your poor baby being gone, pretend he's five years old and had a nightmare and is sleeping in your arms. I know that's what I do." He muttered the last part quietly enough for her not to hear but Jace gave him a sad look.

Magnus walked out the drawing room, the others following behind and all leaving in different directions to try and sleep a few hours before the sun comes up.

~*~

"Lightwood." Sebastian whispered, "hey Lightwood!"

Alec awoke with a jolt and serched the darkness. "Good you're awake. Draw a silencing rune on me, I never got taught runes." he admitted sheepishly, shocking Alec, "but don't do any runes on yourself and if you dare do the wrong rune on me you are in for it big time."

Sebastian turned a lamp on making them both squint until their eyes got used to the dull brightness illuminating the room. Of course Alec refused to give in to Sebastian, instead he drew, what Magnus called, 'a screaming rune', which made everything you did much louder. "You'll be able to hear your own movements and they'll seem louder than they should but no-one else should hear you." Alec explained, every word a fib as he drew the complicated yet simple rune.

"Good boy. You better not be lying, because otherwise you're skipping a meal and I'll fetch my father's whip which I saved from the rubble of our destroyed home in Idris, no thanks to your parabatai and my sister. Now I'll be off." He turned the lamp off and walked away, "oh, and if you happen to fall back asleep, hope to the angel Raziel you don't get awoken by a whip lash instead of a warm meal."

Alec gulped and lay back down on the floor. He closed his eyes wishing that if he went to sleep, he wouldn't wake back up.


	2. Chapter 2 (obviously)

Crack. Alec flinched away jolting away resulting with hitting the wall hard. "You stupid man." Sebastian spat at him, "you act like a child playing a foolish game. You realise I have the power to kill you right now." Alec said nothing, just glared at him, "but, I won't; you are of great use to me you see, therefore kiling you now would be too early. Shame. You're really getting on my nerves and you screaming all night isn't helping."

"Get on with it." Alec whispered, "or are you going to do what they do in films? Plan to hurt someone but then give them a lecture of the current situation giving them the chance to-" Alec leaped onto Sebastian, "fight back!"

Sebastian yelled in surprise as Alec punched his face. Sebastian ran at the wall slamming Alec into it, emptying his lungs of air. He ignored it though, taking the chance to snatch the whip and lash out at Sebastian; he dodged the first whip lash and kicked out at Alec. Slash! Sebastian cried out as he struck his face, he growled and grabbed Alec by the neck cutting off his wind pipe, "Now there Alec," he said a little too calmly, "you know not to hurt me. I have the upper hand and I always will. Now give me the whip, and take your shirt off to make things easier okay?"

Alec shook his head vigorously, refusing to back down now, he tried knocking out his knees but Sebastian was tougher than when they last fought. He began feeling lightheaded from Sebastian's tight grip on his throat, deciding the fight for now was over, he nodded. Sebastian grinned and let go. Alec handed him the whip and took large gasps of air trying not to faint. He removed his shirt and Sebastian snatched it from his hand, and tutted. "Cold Lightwood?" he asked tilting his head sideways, "too bad." he puckered his lower lip and gave him puppy eyes in a mocking way.

Alec sighed and turned away and put his hands against the wall. "Just do it or I'll whip your face again." he hissed forcing his voice not to break.

He was meant to be one of the strongest shadowhunters in the family, but in all honesty, he was terrified, constantly. Every fight he feared his life that he may not return home, or would fall unconscious then die in his sleep; even more so when he was with Magnus, leaving one day then he recieves a letter from the Clave or perhaps a call from Issy saying he's dead. Now with Sebastian, his fears were over the roof, he couldn't calm down and he probably never would. "Feel free to cry, I can see your weakness within." Sebastian whispered in his ear before bringing the whip down, ripping through the flesh on Alec's back. But he didn't dare cry out in pain, he had to stay strong.

He thought of Izzy, Jace, his mum, and Magnus. He had no idea whether the warlock still loved him after the mistake he had made with Camille who was now dead thanks to Maureen, but Alec was certain, he still loved Magnus and that wouldn't change. He loved Magnus and his hope on his family, Clary and the love of his life would keep him going. All he thought of was Magnus and he heard and felt the crack of the whip across his back, ripping away the flesh.

~*~

Magnus didn't sleep at all that night. He didn't leave because he was tired and needed to sleep on the matter, he simply wanted to escape the depressing atmosphere and cry in peace along with the Chairman who sat on his lap wailing at the top of his little cat lungs. His eye liner was smudged, his glitter was in clumbs, his nails were stubs and pointed like little fangs at the corners and his tears shined under the glow of dawn. He was a wreck. Alec had only been on his mind since he had walked away from him into the night, he had thought of nothing else; he had not cried nor thrown things in anger, he simply stared at his fire and ate take aways, feeding the Chairman when he noticed the cat actually needed feeding to stay alive like he did.

But now, he knew he couldn't get back with Alec, he had to try his hardest to get him back safe and sound and with him again. He had gone against Sebastian once before aiding the shadowhunters but this was personal, Alec was his and only his. Alec may not know but Magnus, the free wheeling bisexual, High Warlock of Brooklyn, does not lie to someone he loves. He may have walked off on Alec, he just needed some time to think; after all, Alec was everything to him. He was not trivial. Far from it.

He stood up from the soft leather chair he made appear last night, ignoring the Chairman's yowl of protest as he fell to the floor but like all cats, landed on his feet. Looking outside he saw the sun was high and bright in the sky, how long had he been sitting there exactly? Probably quite a few hours, time passed quickly when he was with Alec. Their whole relationship seemed like a blur, but hopefully once this was cleared they could get back together and build more memories together, he remembered how he emabrrassed Alec in Paris and the romantic moment that followed.....

Alec looked up at the eiffel tower in awe, he had only ever seen pictures and drawings of it around New York. Magnus simply chuckled at him, finding Alec's shock and love towards the sculpture quite amusing. Of course he could remember easily the holiday he took Will and Tessa on to see the construction of the tower at work, about three months after it had begun construction. Sadly for Magnus he was the third wheel, he usually walked behind or went elsehwere completely; not having some to love in Paris seemed like a crime, you can't come alone to the city of love, it just seemed wrong to him. But now of course he had Alec, who hopefully he would the spend the rest of his shadowhunter life left with.

He had never thought much about the future, that when Alec dies Magnus would remember him for centuries but eventually he would forget the little shadowhunter with ice blue eyes and black hair dark as night that flowed freely in the breeze, the blush that always crept up onto his cheeks when he was embarrassed, his stamina rune, the happiness that would rush through them both when he returned from battle safe and sound and of course, how happy they were in each others company whether it were a couple minutes, or a night together. The thought broke his heart, he didn't want to forget Alec but time goes on and he would have to accept the fact it would happen, but he has centuries to go so he had to make the most of it, especially while Alec lived. 

He had to stop thinking so negatively, he was on vacation with the love of his eternal life! They were meant to be having fun, not depressing themselves about the future; they would sort it out when the time came and that was a while away. "Hey, Magnus!" Alec called snapping him away from his thoughts only to lose himself in those deep blue eyes of his, "you alright?"

"Yes I'm fine, Alec." he smiled and walked towards him, enveloping him in a huge hug, "promise me you'll never leave me ok?"

"Of course, Magnus. You know I wouldn't dream of it, you're not trivial."

Magnus chuckled lightly at the reminder, "And neither are you my love."

A few moments later and Alec started feeling awkward, everyone knows the moment when you want to let go of a hug but the other person won't so it just feels awkward. Well that's how Alec felt, neither were wearing glamours so he looked like a tatoo freak and Magnus with creepy contact lenses and strange fashion sense, or just no fashion sense in the slightest. Magnus pulled away finally and held Alec's chin in his hand, "I love you Alexander Gideon Lightwood, never forget that."

Alec blushed and fixed his gaze on the ground. Magnus took his chance and leant down to capture Alec in a passionate kiss. Alec's eyes widened in surprise and his whole face turned into the colour of beetroot, but he gave in and kissed him back. Hooking his arms around his neck, Magnus fixed his hands on Alec's waist and pulled him closer. "Magnus-" Alec began but gasped as Magnus bit his bottom lip giving himself entrance to invade with his tongue.

They were there together in a hot embrace for who knows how long until Alec found the will to pull back and put a finger to Magnus' lips, "Not in public," he whined shifting from foot to foot, "you know how much it embarrasses me."

Magnus laughed, "Oh Alec, when will you learn that won't stop me from doing this?" He leant down again but Alec pushed him away.

"No!' he pouted, which in Magnus' opinion, was adorable, but then of course everything Alec did was adorable to him. 

"Now lets go climb the eiffel tower! I have an idea."

They walked towards the lift with their hands clasped tightly together, Alec sighed at how happy he was feeling and wished they could stay in that moment of time and never leave. For once, the elevator had no music but it was entirely made of glass, letting them watch everyone below turn into ants scurrying around. Magnus took him to the very top and glanced at his watch, "Ok, watch the horizon." he said excitedly sitting on a bench.

Alec glanced at his own watch to see what Magnus was so excited about, 5:27, nothing special about that. "Alec look!" Magnus whispered, nudging his shoulder.

Alec looked up and gasped. In front of him was the most beautiful sunset he ever saw. The sun was a low glow of orange, while the sky was a rainbow of different colours; slowly getting darker turning into black, the darkness of the night. The sun slowly went down in the sky, bringing all the pinks, the blues, the purples, the oranges and reds down with it. All Alec could do was stare in awe while holding Magnus' hand over his heart, they did this during moments they would kiss but something was distracting them so it was a way of saying, 'I love you', with no words.

When it was gone and the stars came up making the sky look like one of Magnus' tops with sparkles and glitter spotted everywhere. He turned his head at Magnus and felt a tear fall down his cheek. Right now, he didn't care about publicity so he leaped onto Magnus' lap and captured him in another passionate embrace and kiss. Their lips moving in sync with each others and Magnus slightly tugging on Alec's hair, they were in their own little world; but this was Paris, the city of love, they probably seemed like a normal gay couple kissing after the sun had gone down. 

Magnus was the one to pull away and smile down at Alec who was blushing again, "Let's save the aftermath for the hotel shall we?" he teased making Alec giggle.

Oh how he loved that sound, and many others Alec happened to make. Alec turned around so his back was to Magnus but still on his lap. Holding each others hands by their sides, their fingers entwined, Magnus leant his chin on Alec's shoulder and kissed it. "I love you." he whispered closing his eyes in pure happiness.

"I love you to." Alec whispered back, turning back round and snuggling up to Magnus like a child.

Magnus knew that while Alec was missing, that memory and many others would haunt him day and night. But if he was going to be around his family and Clary, he had to look like he was keeping up well and not this miserable, crying dump that only revealed itself at home with the Chairman for company and comfort. He was certain Alec still loved his despite how he hurt him that night. His heart screamed guilt, he blamed himself for Alec's disappearance thinking that Alec was so depressed he went with Sebastian, but was he really that stupid? He wouldn't let himself get hurt, there must've been some horrible sick twist to how he ended up with him, would he really go on his free will?

~*~

At the institute everyone sat in the drawing room deep in thought. Clary had easily fallen back asleep after a long talk trying to calm Jace down, it didn't work since he didn't sleep and now had large bags under his eyes; says it was because he could feel Alec being punished or hurt for something and it worried him, he constantly watched his rune, waiting for it to fade or bleed, or any sort of sign on his status. 

The same went for Isabelle, she had stayed up all night thinking and worrying, rocking back and forth on her bed, cussing at Sebastian under her breath. Deep down she blamed herself and was pretty certain Jace did to, if the three of them hadn't had a fight before he disappeared without a trace apart from going to the 'Bloody Hound' pub and getting himself drunk then seen one second and gone the next. It didn't make sense, Clary destroyed the house so Sebastian couldn't use his ring to travel there and back as a sort of portal. Could he? It was the only logical explanation she had come up with during the morning. Maryse however, had taken some sleeping pills Robert used to have when he was under stress from institute work, she didn't really see the problem, found it a breeze except with the recent 'incidents' she understood what he meant. 

The doorbell rang and no-one got up to get it. Izzy simply stared outside, Maryse watching the door as if waiting for something to leap through, Jace snored softly so quietly Clary got up to let Magnus in. He wasn't lying when he said he would arrive at midday, he was right on the dot. "How is everyone?" he asked looking sympathetic when really, it was his own sad expression which took all his strength to keep up with Alec constantly on his mind.

"Not good. Maryse seems well rested but Izzy and Jace, not so much. Izzy keeps staring at nothing and Jace isn't sleeping, so he's asleep right now," she said with a slight shrug, "I must seem horrible to them, a sibling is missing and I'm the least fazed because Alec and I were never close and probably never will be so while they're all worried sick and I'm just here. I offered to leave and stay with Luke and mom for a while but Jace said I comforted him so I'm staying. Good thing to or no-one would open the door." Her last comment failed to enlighten the mood and tension between them, "come on."

Back in the drawing everyone was still as when she left, Maryse still staring at the doors, Izzy outside and Jace snoring softly. She walked over to him and kissed him on the nose causing his eyes to flutter open sleepily, "Hey sleepyhead. Magnus is here."

Jace mumbled something under his breath and gave Clary a quick peck on the lips before sitting up and turning his attention to Magnus and everyone else who were actually paying attention now, "So," Jace stated, "where do we begin?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay. You're reading me :3 please comment your thoughts! I do love me some comments <3


	3. Chapter 3

~*~ Two weeks later~*~

"We may as well admit it." Isabelle stated breaking the silence in the drawing room.

Magnus, Jace, Clary, Maryse and Isabelle were all sat in a chair staring at the map on the table, deep in thought trying to eliminate locations of where Sebastian wouldn't be; but then of course there was the large risk that when they had located him, he had moved on. They all looked at her with puzzled expressions, "Admit what Izzy?" Jace asked.

"What do you think Jace?" she snapped at him, the worry and tension had worked into her head and made her angry at everything and everyone, "this is all pointless! And we know it is!"

"Isabelle!" Maryse cried, pain could easily be heard in her tone, "how can you think that?"

"This is Sebastian! He's obviously more manipulative and strong than when he took off with Jace and Clary but at least we had some way of keeping in contact with her knowing their progress and plans! Now what? We get a letter saying Alec willingly went with Sebastian and has the damn paper to prove it! Now if Alec did that, do you seriously think he wants to be found? I'm sure he's pretty happy that he's away from us even if he is tortured and starved! He made it pretty clear he never wanted to be near us again, so what better way than to run off with Sebastian and join the enemy team?" she took in a large gulp of air, "I just... think it's time to give up and wait. War is coming, and he'll bring Alec along with him. Perhaps we can work a trade or something, he's not completely heartless."

Everyone stared in complete shock at her outburst. But she had a point, Sebastian was stronger than before therefore tougher to beat. And using Alec as bait, he could be unstoppable. There was little they could do and Isabelle just made that possibility shrink even more. "I need a moment alone," Magnus whispered, "excuse me." he got up and left the room, shutting the door quietly behind him.

"Me to." Jace said and stormed out, slamming the door instead. 

Clary gave Izzy one of her looks to kill, Maryse simply fumed at her daughter with disgrace. "Isabelle Sophia Lightwood! Look what you've done now! You've made matters worse!" she screeched, "there was hope of finding Alec but you seem to have picked it up and watched it crumble between your fingers like a crumb! Then stomp on it so it seeps into the ground never to be found!"

Isabelle looked as if she regretted nothing of what she said, as if it was worth the pain and anger she caused. "Say something young lady! You can't simply ignore me! You seem oblivious to the situation, perhaps you should just leave the room and leave the four of us to it."

This seem to have hit a nerve, Isabelle looked at the carpet but didn't move; even as Clary walked towards her she didn't flinch or show any sign she was going to leave. "Izzy-" Clary began but Isabelle cut her off with a grunt.

"Leave me alone." she mumbled.

"But-"

"I said leave me alone!" she cried and grabbed her whip which just so happened to be beside the chair, and flicked it at Clary who jumped back but it caught her wrist causing her to hiss. "That is it!" Maryse shouted, "Isabelle go to your room and do not come back out unless I say so. Do I make myself clear?"

Isabelle nodded and stood up, passing Clary she dug her nail into the cut just to make it worse; Clary cried out but immediately covered her mouth, shadowhunters didn't cry out in pain, they were strong but what Izzy did was more out of shock than pain. Nothing a simple iratze couldn't fix. 

Out in the corridor Izzy stormed passed Magnus who was sat on the floor, his arms crossed on top of his knees while leaning his forehead on them. He looked up to see her stalk off down a corridor and frowned, this was nothing like her normal, ignorant behaviour. An angry Isabelle wasn't a rare sight but her being anxious and angry just made it a hundred times worse. Sighing, he stood up and went back in to try and calm the girls. Thankfully Magnus had forced himself not to cry, just sat and took deep breaths and stared at the ground trying to distract him mind; he did so by seeing how many Chairman Meows it would take to reach the top of the ceiling by piling on top of each other. The results was 113. "Excuse me." Clary urged as she stalked past him.

"Ok, what the hell happened here?" Magnus asked frustrated, "first Isabelle storms off which is understandable but what did Clary do?"

"Nothing, Magnus." Maryse sighed, wishing this could just hurry up and be over with, "Clary tried to calm Isabelle down after I gave her a good shouting at but she flicked her whip at her cutting Clary's wrist. I'm not sure where she was aiming considering Clary jumped back quite a large amount, then while storming she dug her nail in. So Clary is just angry at her so she's gone off to find a stele."

"Could this get anymore hectic?" he pinched the bridge of his nose and gave himself another Chairman puzzle to solve. 

"I don't know. And I didn't want to tell you this yet but I'm sure I should know, Sebastian sent another letter. Directed to you, and part of it is from Alec. Here, I'm going to go find Jace; you'll probably need to be alone as you read it. It's...quite heart wrenching when you find out what condition he's in."

Magnus nodded and took the letter delicately, as if it were made of glass and would break when dropped. "Thank you."

Magnus,

By now I'm sure you've given in if you hadn't already a couple weeks ago to help the measely shadowhunters on their little search for me. I'm sure you're doing your own little search at night when you're alone so you have further leads than them. I'm sure Maryse will have read this before you so here's some help as of my location, I'm in Europe. And I won't be leaving it either, so there. Good luck with getting further leads. Oh yeah, not Idris either. Now before I continue to talk about war, I was feeling kind towards my little shadowhunter pet since you seemed to have left him to rot. So here, he wrote something for you.

Dear Magnus, even via letter I cannot tell you how I feel right now for Sebastian is watching me as I write, I cannot even look at the paragraph above mine so I have no idea of what he has written. You have to listen to me, get the important over quicker in case I have limited time, he likes to rush. I was drunk when we left! Drunken and angry and depressed! My brain was screaming to not sign the stupid paper and go with him, but he sounded so convincing from what I can remember. Now, don't come looking for me. I know that's what all of you are desperate for, but don't. I don't know what Sebastian is planning or whether he'll ever let me go but you have to move on. Even more in case you already have, I have no idea how you feel about me but I still love you. You made me depressed. Saying that I realise it makes it sound as if my being here is your fault! Don't think that! Just the thought of it hurts my heart even more.

But enough, I can't begin crying over you as I write or Sebastian will fetch another of Valentine's things. He says it's for discipline but no, he enjoys hurting me because he knows it will make you weaker, especially my mom, head of the institute gives her the power to ask the Clave favors or ask them to abort something. I think we can all predict Sebastian is trying to make her want to stop the Clave from capturing Sebastian, is he planning war? If he plans war, run Magnus. Run. Like you said the two of us would someday when all of this was over, well change of plans. Leave, early, forget me, fall in love with someone who isn't mortal and has a high chance of dying in early life. In my state, it could be today, it could be when I'm old and grey. 

And since I can write what I wish as it seems right now, this could possibly be the only chance I have to tell you about all of....this. I'm stuck in a square cement cell, one wall is all iron bars that I cannot touch because of the demon energy each bar contains, there's a window also with demon energy but I am too small anyway to see out. You know, my first thought was 'someone tall could see through this, someone like dad, or Magnus.' I thought of you, and only you. I've only thought of you, my family and I admit, a bit of Clary and ways to stop Sebastian. He may have told you I tried to fight him during the first few days being trapped but that ended badly. Also one night I tricked him with the wrong rune, I tried to put a rune on myself but I couldn't since he watched my every move, he still does virtually. He awoke me with the crack of the whip, I don't know where we are but it's extremely cold at the moment and he took my shirt. He whips me on the bare back and sees no point in me keeping it; so every night I freeze and with no iratzes I am becoming weak. I can see my ribs, he's starving me, sort of like Hitler and the Jews during the war. Don't ask how I know that, oh wait... never mind, you can't! I also have nothing to sleep on, or even a bathroom; he makes me go on the floor! I feel like a hamster with a really crappy owner. Except at least hamsters do have a bed and sawdust.

I regret all of this, I want to beg you to save me, I no longer care how soppy I am in this letter, Sebastian seems to know me through and through anyway. Just don't save me, save yourselves. Aku cinta kamu, Magnus Bane. 

Magnus stood frozen. His eyes were filled with tears waiting to be released. How did Maryse not cry? Or did she read it alone like Magnus was now? He forced himself to read the remains of the letter, just so he knew what Sebastian had to say. Right now Magnus felt like Will, when Tessa was taken by Mortmain he stopped at nothing to find her even though everyone told him not to. Magnus would find Alec whether he liked it or not. Except hopefully he wouldn't find him in bed with someone else who loves him. Magnus chuckled slightly at the memory of the embarrassment that covered Will and Tessa's faces. He heard the comment about the tattoo which just made Magnus feel awkward standing in the corridor.

Sighing, Magnus continued the letter.

Aw, wasn't that adorable? He's right you know, I know him through and through; and I read what he wrote. Can't let him give away vital information of our whereabouts now can I? And I'm not stupid warlock, no matter what little Alec says you'll still come looking for him.

Okay, back to business. Once you quit crying. Since things are starting to go according to plan, the war shall begin in one week on the plain outside Idris where you all fought that little 10 minute battle while Clary aided getting her own father killed. That was cute, I stood there watching from a distance you know, amusing. 

Why three weeks? Well, everything is set and I got my army, I must inform a few people and I shall be set. This will take a few days, whereas I know the Clave is a pathetic excuse of what the mundanes call the government so it will take you a while. Be glad I'm giving you time to prepare, I could pounce today but where would be the fun in that? Unless you surrender, my mailing the address below saying 'we surrender' from the inquisitor, Jia Penhallow, saying so within the next three weeks, war will commence. Then saying you surrender won't be enough, I shall be wanting a trade. Only one thing, but 'it' will be powerful and I don't doubt some wouldn't be too happy about giving it away. 

See you then, or perhaps sooner. Your choice.

Yours,

Jonathan Christopher Morgenstern.

Magnus couldn't take it anymore, he dropped the letter and ran out the door. He needed to get home, and plan something before it was too late. 

~*~

Jace was making his way back when he heard Clary yelp. He picked up his pace until Izzy shoved him into the wall, "Out of my way Jace." she grumbled stomping off.

"Well, someone got blessed by the wrong angel." Jace scoffed, "man I hate her sometimes." He brushed off some fake dust and continued walking.

He saw a flash of orange disappear down a corridor and he chased it, knowing it was Clary obviously running or storming off. "Clary wait!" he called to her, "what happened? You ok?"

"Fine." she waited for Jace to catch up with her before continuing, "Izzy tried to get me with her whip but I jumped backed so she only got my wrist. It's pretty deep, but I'm sure an iratze will fix it." she shrugged as if that explained everything.

"What did you do to make her so angry? Because let me tell you, when she's angry, her shoves are damn painful!"

"Nothing. In fact, Maryse did it and I tried to calm her but nope." She entered her bedroom and began searching for her stele, "found you ya little bugger!" she said triumphantly as she pulled it out from under a pile of clothes.

Jace sighed and lay on the bed, "Thought you always kept it on your bedside table?"

"Yeah well, that was before you came fully into my life." she kissed him lightly but Jace pulled her down deepening it.

Clary gasped but kissed back immediately, "Jace" she mumbled against his lips.

He mumbled back noting he was listening, "You're not like this," she pulled away and rested her hands beside his face on the pillow, "you're taking this whole situation pretty hard aren't you?" he groaned and turned over, burying his face in the pillow. Clary pouted and stroked his hair, "it's going to be ok? You and I both know that, Izzy is just upset and taking it harder than you. Please don't turn into her, I'd rather not have my boyfriend turn into an abuser against me again."

 

Jace turned again to frown at her, "What do you mean, again?" 

"Oh I don't know, how about on the rooftop with Camille? Or at the uprising of dark shadowhunters?"

"That wasn't my fault!"

"Well neither is..." she waved her arms, "this! You're being overcome by depression and you weren't this bad with Max, or when everyone thought you were Valentine's son and that's all they called you, or when Camille invaded your dreams with nightmares. So snap out of it!" she dropped knocking the air out of him; wrapping her arms around him she sighed and waited for his response.

She didn't get one, the first she heard actually come from him was a soft snore, he'd fallen asleep again with his arms wrapped tightly so she couldn't escape. Sighing she snuggled into him and let her mind drift, she wasn't tired so she just thought about life and how she had forgotten to meet up with Simon the day before... Oops.

~*~

"Ah Jonathan, good to see you." said the Seelie Queen, "what news do you bring?"

"I have brought news of a war my lady."

"A war? Is this war your choice or the other shadowhunters?"

"Mine. I have been planning it for a long time and I talked with your knight, Meliorn, who is in the conclave and he says you shall stand by us. I know you cannot tell lies, but I am here to see whether you have changed your mind."

"Of course not, don't you think we would have contacted you if we had? We may be half demon but we do not say we shall stay beside you then simply not turn up because we changed our minds and not tell you."

"Of course, I'm sorry. The battle is in one week, taking place on the plain just outside of the Idris wards. Dot on the midday, I won't be there though. I shall be at my hide-out, near the border of Germany in Petange. I am trusting the greater demon Lucifer to give you the orders of battle. I have to wait for someone to show up, or the little shadowhunters to surrender. Then I shall pull out my secret which I assume you already know, the trade."

"Ah yes, I know what you speak of."

"I do not see what use you have. What's so important?"

"Ah I cannot tell you that little shadowhunter, you can keep it for a while but soon I shall grow impatient. I don't know what you will do, but of course that isn't my business. Neither is it yours to know what we want."

"'It' has a name, my lady. I would prefer you call by name, it makes me slightly uncomfortable that you don't."

"I can call it whatever I please. It's not as if you have feelings for it do you? You know it is all I want if we are to fight beside you, unless you wish us to withdraw and leave you to just your demons? They did quite well at what you called, the 'mini battle', so why not? They killed and injured many, I'm sure you would do just fine!"

"No, I'm sure I would like you by my side but- I guess I am having second thoughts. I will let you know if I change my mind. But I have business to attend to as I'm sure you probably do as well. Therefore I shall make a hasty retreat."

"Yes, feel free. I hope to see you once the battle is won Jonathan, along with my trade."

With a nod Sebastian turned on his heel, was he really getting feelings? He'd never had them before, that's the whole point he used Jace in the first place, but know giving to the Seelie Queen seems untrustworthy. Pull yourself together Jonathan! He walked off down the corridor to the exit and came out dripping wet in the pond. Now to portal back to Germany to taunt Alec some more, that would surely take his mind off the matters at hand.


	4. Chapter 4

"Hey Lightwood." Sebastian said monotone, "got good news for you. Well, depends how you take it."

Alec looked up from the corner with his hollow eyes, you could see the outline of his skull in some areas; weak from hunger and mild blood loss which was taking slower than usual to come back, he dropped his head again. "You might only have to spend one more week here with me. Well I'm quite certain it'll only be a week, it's that or death. Unless you join me to save your dear life, that can be arranged."

"Why only maybe?" he mumbled.

"There is going to be a war little shadowhunter, you'll stay here, quite safe, then we see what happens." He grimaced slightly, remembering the trade but soon losing it when reminding himself he doesn't care, nor should he ever, "if the Clave surrenders which knowing them of course they will eventually, then I shall give you back as long as they give me something I need in return. I doubt your little family and friends will be too keen but the trade item will be very willing; I know from experience, the little 'item' will be willing to switch places with you."

"What are you saying? This, item isn't an object is it.... it, is a person."

"Well done. Also, there is the chance they find me waiting here, then they shall give themselves up and I will end the war, in return you go home to your little warlock. He still loves you, thought you'd like to know."

"Why-" he coughed harshly, "why are you telling me this? You're not a kind hearted person, you're horribly evil and love getting revenge on others using people as bait, for example, right now. But now I know all your plans, who's to say I haven't figured a way to tell everyone this?"

"Because I'm not stupid. Of course you haven't."

"Oh really? And you seem to not want to do this trade, this person isn't for you, you're giving it to someone else!"

"That's enough."

"And this person is close to you, you're mainly doing it from revenge and the consequences if you don't trade yet deep down you feel bad!"

"Be quiet!"

"And I know this person to! Now who's to say I can't figure out who it is."

"Enough!"

"I know who it is! It's so obvious! Someone blind could figure it out. It's-" he got cut off by a searing pain in his ankle.

Looking down he saw it was red hot, the heat burning away at his flesh making it scab and bleed, "Apologise you weakling!"

"Never!" Alec cried at the pain, "you don't deserve it! I know who it is and you can't deny it!" The pain just got worse and he began feeling lightheaded even though his head was pounding.

"I hope you rot in hell Alexander Lightwood!" Sebastian screamed increasing the heat in the ankle chain.

Alec screamed which he hadn't done out of pain in a long time. Collapsing, Sebastian lowered his hand decreasing the heat; he could hear the bubbling of flesh actually echo quietly off the walls. He deserved that.

No he didn't!

Yes he did. He's a scum.

No, no. Bad man.

Good man. Continue with battle.

Cancel. Cancel.

Sebastian's angel and demon fought inside his head and he shook trying to get rid of them, everything was confusing. Damn the trade. He came to the conclusion, he would go ahead with it all, guilt is a sin, he should not feel it. He shall not feel it.

~*~

The phone began ringing from the kitchen, "I'll get it!" Jocelyn called running to the phone, "hello Jocelyn Garroway speaking."

"Hello Jocelyn," Maryse greeted on the other end, "is Luke there? I'm sorry I'd love to talk but we're in a bit of a predicament. I'm amazed Clary hasn't told you."

"Yes he is here, but what's going on?"

"Please just give the phone to Luke. If he can he needs to come to the institute, you may come to."

"Ok sure, I'll go fetch him. Wait a minute." she put the phone down and went searching, "Luke!"

No answer, "Luke! By the angel where are you?"

"Geez woman, I was in the bathroom. Can't a guy get a bit of privacy?" he huffed appearing round the corner, "now what is it?"

"Urgent call from Maryse on the phone, needs you to go to the institute. After probably a few instructions." Luke sighed and walked into the kitchen.

To Jocelyn it was a one sided conversation, she only heard snippets and nothing made sense except that whatever it was, it gave Luke quite a shock. "Yes it's Luke- no I haven't spoken to her in a while, she alright?-Oh good, so what's wrong?-what!? Is that possible?- But surely, he's not that stupid- letters you say- of course I'll help- yes I will alert my pack and the others- okay see you in a bit-bye." Luke collapsed into one of the stools and put his face in his hands.

"Everything alright honey?" Jocelyn put a hand on his shoulder and rubbed gently.

"Sebastian has Alec. Come on, we need to get to the institute; apparently he's sent two letters and there's a war next week and since I'm on the conclave it's my job to alert the nearby packs." Jocelyn's jaw hit the floor, dragging it into the van and all the way to the institute.

She could see Maryse watching them from the drawing room window, then turning away probably to tell the others since Jocelyn could get Luke and herself in since she was still a shadowhunter. Then she remembered, she'd never actually been inside the institute, "Luke, since I've actually never been here. Care to show the way?" He nodded and walked through the doors and headed straight down the corridor.

"Hey-wait!"

"Hurry up Jocelyn I need to get there quick." She sighed and walked faster.

They reached a door that had multiple voices on the other side, one being particularly loud, "No mom! I'm not apologising! I was right and she deserved it! She refused to leave me alone."

Jocelyn opened the door slightly to slip inside, no-one noticed so she stood at the door waiting for their little arguement to finish. "Isabelle Sophia Lightwood! We need you now, but you're not stupid. Apologise to Clary now!"

"No!" Isabelle snapped back.

"Maryse, don't bother. In this state we'll be lucky to even get her contribution." Clary piped from the other side of the room, browsing the bookshelves.

"But-" Maryse sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, "alright fine. She's just overreacting, getting on my nerves."

"Urm hello, I'm right here!" Isabelle spat.

She ignored her, "We're doing fine and Sebastian has said we'll get Alec back under certain circumstances, I'm sure according to the letter we can pin his location. He's in Europe, near Idris and the weather is unusually cold right now over there. Any ideas anyone?"

The room fell silent so Luke took his chance to clear his throat, "Oh Luke, Jocelyn. Sorry, didn't see you there." Maryse tried to smile.

"Ok, so what the hell is going on? By the angel if I don't find out I will probably explode." Jocelyn glared at everyone who looked at her confused, as if she were turning into Izzy.

"Mom," Clary said sounding paranoid, "I'll tell you outside. Let them talk, oh and where's Magnus, Jace?"

"Library." he grumbled, he was sat at the window sill looking out, watching the daily bussel of New York go past.

"Well can you go fetch him?"

Jace didn't answer making Clary huff, Jocelyn tried to stifle a grin; she never had been keen on Jace so if they were getting into the stages leading to break up she would probably throw a one person party. "I'll go." Izzy said, "if you promise to quit staring at me as if I'm mentally ill and don't know my way around."

She stalked out the room with Clary and Jocelyn following. Luke turned to Maryse, "So where are these letters?"

She handed him two envelopes and waited for him to finish reading. Concern filled his face, "Can I skip the letter to Magnus?" he asked trying to lighten the mood, failing, he returned to the letters, "ok I think I see what's going on. Alec was taken drunk by Sebastian after fighting with everyone here and now he regrets it. The war is next week and we surrender to get Alec back, or I'm guessing everyone here and...elsewhere in this building will want to find his base to get their early or during the actual battle, in the meantime we are recruiting as many shadowhunters and downworlders as we can except the Fair Folk since they have sided with him."

Maryse looked shocked at how Luke happened to sumamrise it so quickly so she simply nodded. The room fell silent again until Izzy and Magnus came in, Magnus looked behind him confusedly, "I wouldn't go out there if I were you," he warned, "things are getting heated out there." He noticed Luke and nodded, "what's new?"

Luke was about to speak but he was cut off by Jocelyn shouting, "CLARISSA ADELE MORGENSTERN!" Jace's head snapped towards the door, no-one ever called her Morgenstern except the stupid clave and some in the conclave because they have to, "WHAT DID I JUST SAY CLARISSA? MY RULES! YOU CANNOT JUST REBEL!"

Everyone tried to eavesdrop but they could only hear Jocelyn's shouts, either Clary wasn't speaking or she was being quiet, "YOU WILL DO AS I SAY!"

A long silence followed along with a smack, then they came back in. Jocelyn looked red as a tomato with fury, Clary though, had a bright mark on her cheek and tears were spilling down her face. She hadn't cried in a very long time, Jocelyn really did damage. No wonder her and Jace despised each other, he had reason but her reason, who knows.

No-one said anything, everyone had their own little thought space, all standing-or sitting- in different places of the room. Jace's head snapped up and he ran over to the map on the table and grabbed the nearest pen. He traced the border of Idris and put a dot where the battle destination was on the border near Germany; he then continued to trace the outline of Germany that touched Idris and circled it. He stepped back and let everyone take a look.

Gasps were heard as they looked at what Jace did, "Of course, it's so simple." Isabelle piped, "Jace you genius!"

He smirked at her with a nod of thanks, "Now we need to know where on that side of the border Alec is." They all sat back and thought.

Jace, Izzy and Maryse were deep in thought about strategies, Magnus was still hovering above the map while Luke worried over Clary. Jocelyn still glared at Clary as if she were Sebastian, Clary looked deep in thought and quite tired. "I'll be right back." Jace said leaving the room quietly.

Clary sighed and watched him go. "I don't feel too good, I'm going to go take a nap." Turning to leave Jocelyn had others plans and grabbed her arm making Clary wince, "mom let go of me..."

"I'm not stupid Clarissa, you'll go looking for Jace." she gave her a hard look but no-one seemed to notice.

"I said let go! I'm not going to go after Jace I'm not stupid! What do you take me for mom? You're just overreacting and treating me like a five year old!"

"You're acting like one!"

"No! Shut up! Why don't you come with me to check I go to sleep if you care so much? Sorry I happened to feel dizzy by coincedence as Jace left, next time I'll wait till he gets back." with tears in her eyes she yanked her arm back to her side.

She stormed out the room and ran down the hallways with one hand trying to rapidly clear tears from her cheeks. She threw her random door open and slammed it with a kick, jumping on the bed and letting the tears fall. Since when had her mom been so protective and cruel to Jace? Sure she had a grudge on him, her excuses weren't enough but she wasn't lying, she was the one overreacting!

Clary had just finished explaining their situation and Jocelyn looked regretful for being so cruel. "Why did no-one tell me?" she asked, "I feel terrible. Poor Lightwoods."

"I know it's terrible, but now that you know, you can come help us pin down his location."

"No, I want to talk about something else while we're alone Clarissa."

"What have I done!?" Clary claimed innocence but Jocelyn scoffed, "seriously!"

"Why haven't you been home? What's Jace been upto? What have you been doing day in and day out? I haven't seen you or spoken in about three weeks! Something is keeping you busy and I want you to tell me."

Clary sighed and got ready for her mom's anger, "First, I've been staying here instead if that's alright with you, which, apparently it isn't. Second, he's been training with me and we've gone on trips, apart from that I'm not sure; probably reading in the library or wondering around the city at Taki's no doubt. Third, I've been with Jace, Simon or simply on my own going on walks, staying here and just keeping myself occupied. I've been so busy, in my own little world which you are forced to admit that you do to, it didn't occur I should call. Especially since the past two weeks up until now I've been helping look for Alec who's been taken by my psychomaniac brother! He mentions me in his letter, we didn't need much help and mom, no offence, but you were last on my list of people to call for help. All you do is complain about Jace and still treat me like a toddler when I'm 17 now!"

Jocelyn flinched trying to contain herself, "I was worried alright? Can't a mother be worried? And that Jace is untrustworthy, if he became violent which is likely he may hurt you or possibly kill you. I don't want to hear your excuses, and you're not 18, therefore not an adult so you cannot come and go as you please so you shall come back home and live with us. You must have permission to go out, no staying out late and no sleepovers at the institute, you can't have Jace over and I am going to train you myself if it keeps you away from Jace."

"NO I REFUSE! THAT'S CRUEL MOM!"

Somehow this pushed her off the edge, she grabbed her arm forcefully, it would leave a mark, she gave her a hard look full of rage and said nothing as Magnus and Izzy walked past looking, the door shut and she bellowed in her ear, "CLARISSA ADELE MORGENSTERN!"

Clary flinched, backing up against the wall, she could feel tears forming. She hated being called by her full name because it meant her punishment would be absolutely huge, being called Morgenstern just made her sick to the stomach so her mother using it as a weapon made her terrified. Since Clary had known the truth of everything and then all that followed, Jocelyn slowly catching on in the meantime had become extremely protective and her hidden shadowhunter anger and threats must have returned along with her. "M-mom...d-don't call me that." she stuttered.

"I can call you anything I wish Clarissa, I am your mother and you will listen to me!"

"No! I still refuse! You can't do this to me! You'll ruin everything that is my life." 

She gave her a look that said 'tough, suck it up' before bellowing again, "WHAT DID I JUST SAY CLARISSA? MY RULES! YOU CANNOT JUST REBEL!"

Clary said nothing, knowing anything she said would just be turned against her unless she surrendered to her mother's wrath which she wouldn't do without fighting, "YOU WILL DO AS I SAY!" she shouted again and Clary just looked at her. Walking over, Jocelyn slapped her hard across the face making her head spin momentarily. Her mom could give a good blow, she wondered how high ranked people thought of her before she left during the uprising.

After that they had walked and Jace gave her a long stare but she had looked away. Looking back at her pillow she saw the damp patch she had created, turning it over she layed down, and half closed her eyes. The crying had made her dizzy and tired with a headache, she just needed to catch up on some sleep and have a way to momentarily forget the events going on. Before sleeping she noticed her door open and a blonde shape appear in the gap, it moved towards her but Clary already knew it was Jace-wasn't hard-; as long as she was aslee Jocelyn couldn't blame her for being with Jace so she let the calm darkness of sleep consume her.

~*~

When Jace walked out the drawing room he took a sigh of relief, he really just needed some air. And to find the name of all the cities along the German border, Sebastian had given him a map of everywhere they travelled and they had gone to Berlin at first. In fact, three points on the border in total, all in very remote locations.

Walking down the corridors he awlloed his mind to drift to Alec, he hated to admit he hadn't thought of him in a while; his parabatai rune hadn't faded or begun bleeding so that was a sign he was still going strong. He hoped.

In his room he lay on his bed and stared at the ceiling that had pictures stuck all over it. The 'Magnus makeover' Alec had done for him annoyed him slightly, it only made him depressed now and glad it was there. It's true, you don't like something until the maker is gone, or something along those lines. They were close to finding him, but then they must fight Sebastian in a war that could end all of their lives or would the Clave really surrender and make this so called trade. He would rather die than be under the rule of Sebastian and the Fair Folk would probably have their fair share along with some greater demons who demanded something in return.

But back to Alec, he wondered how healthy he was, whether when they found him he would have a few simple bruises, that Sebastian went easy on him but no. He was using his father's punishments, that meant whips, taunting and discovering your weak point and stomping all over it metaphorically. If Sebastian had dared to torture Alec over Magnus, he wasn't the only one who wanted him dead because of what he did. Alec was his parabatai and he failed in protecting him, he let Sebastian take him. The night he disappeared Jace could have stopped him from walking away from them, then none of this would have happened, Sebastian would still launch war but no-one would be captive and damaged on his side.

Realising he had something to do, he found the map from the large pile tucked away in the corner of the room. Underneath was a photo frame, a picture of him and Clary in Idris. Jace was sitting on the steps of the accords hall looking over Clary's shoulder to see what she was reading, he was smiling; he remembered Izzy took the picture and Clary didn't notice, she probably didn't know said picture existed. It was the picture he took on Sebastian's travels, perhaps she did know but who knew. 

Outside his room some very heavy footprints ran past but slowly echoed away, then a door slammed shut. Clary? He took the map and walked to the end of the corridor and heard an echoing cry of tears, following the sound he ended up outside a door that he thought no-one occupied. Just in case he was wrong, he waited for the crying to stop. It took a while but when they did, he knocked but got no response, creaking it open he saw Clary asleep on top of the covers with a tear stained face. The hell did Jocelyn do? he thought to himself, I thought she loved Clary like a mother should. 

Walking closer he watched her eyes go fully shut, sat down and looked her over. In Jace's eyes no matter what state she was in, asleep she looked absolutely beautiful and peaceful; except now her face had tears staining her rosy cheeks, one cheek had slightly chipped skin where Jocelyn slapped her and her wrist had a pink mark which Jace did not know the origin. She must have come to a random room to make sure Jocelyn couldn't find her but Jace couldn't just leave her here. She looked pale apart from her cheeks and light brown freckles spotted all over her nose, she could wake up feeling sick and Jace didn't particularly want to leave her side. 

Putting the map in his mouth, he scooped her up under the knees and neck holding her close to his chest, she was warmer than usual which was probably just the after effects of the probably raging headache she had before falling into a calm sleep. He was going to give the map to the others to look over so he could sit with Clary till she woke, or perhaps nap along side with her but if he left her here, he might forget where here is; therfore he would give them the map while carrying Clary, then take her to his room since Jocelyn would go looking in her room for sure.

In the corridor Jace could hear Jocelyn calling Clary's name, probably looking for her so he took the long route around the edge of the institute taking an extra 10 minutes but arrived without a trace of Jocelyn, everyone gave him a strange look since he was carrying a sleeping Clary with a map of Germany's cities on the border in his mouth. He spat it out and whispered, "Clary's a long story but that map has the name of all the cities, the three Sebastian and I went to on the border I circled and they're all pretty remote so check the weather in those areas." He turned to Maryse, "shouldn't you be gathering people for the battle we're going to win?" Everyone was still puzzled at the situation and sight so Jace sighed and turned round about to leave when Jocelyn walked in.

"Has anyone seen-" she stopped looking at Clary in Jace's arms, "what did you do to my daughter!?"

"Absolutely nothing!" he hissed in a hush, "keep it down will you? She's sleeping."

"Why is her face tear stained!? Did you make her cry? Did you hurt her?"

" No, you hurt her. So when she wakes up later, I will ask. Unless she feels ill because look at how pale she is! Or were you too busy hurting her mentally? I can see what small aspects that Jonathan actually inherited from you and was intensified by Lilith's blood, his cruelty."

Then he stalked out the room in a rage and made his way to his room. Laying her on the bed, Jace decided to get in with her; letting sleep take over his body from mental exhaustion.

~*~

"They'll be coming round the mountain when she comes!" Slash. "Coming round the mountain!" Slash. "She'll be coming round the mountain," Slash. "She'll be coming round the mountain when she comes!"

Sebastian's theory seemed to be working, confusing Alec in his weak mind made him confused and oblivious to the majority of things happening, why Sebastian decided to sing as well eluded him but nevertheless, it helped. Alec was kicked onto his back which made him wince from the new scars, "Do you realise what I'm trying to do Lightwood?" he asked out of curiosity.

"I-uh. Did you-did you say something?"

Sebastian cackled in his success, the past few hours he had been talking to Alec in riddles, using his whip to restart the process making him forget what just happened with pain, it was working now; he just had to do the trigger and then taunting from then on, or perhaps all of it daily which would take time so maybe he'd get a gay demon to do it. "You're gay aren't you?" 

"Yeeeees?" Alec slurred as if he were drunk again, "whhyyyyyy?"

"Because I'm bi."

It took Alec a couple minutes before his eyes widened with realisation. He crawled into his corner and faced Sebastian with a terrified expression. "S-so?"

"Damn, you ruined the surprise with that little brain of yours." Sebastian appraoched him and began ruffling his hair.

"Get off me! Don't touch me!" Alec cried out, "Sebastian you son of-" he was cut off by Sebastian kissing him full on the mouth.

He screamed against his lips but that only gave Sebastian further entrance, it only took a few moments for Alec to realise he had planned this all along. Just when he was on the home run, somehow Sebastian would make him break into a million pieces and do it repeatedly day after day.

Unfortunately, his theory was correct.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy cow people are actually reading this. Thank you!! :D I'll upload a chapter a day now for you :3

Jace stood watching a younger version of himself stand before Valentine with a worried expression. Valentine held a whipe in one hand with his arms crossed, looking eerily calm like he always did when he was angry, "What did I tell you Jonathan?" he asked gazing down at him, "the restricted part of the library is off limits to you. You know that."

"I-I'm sorry, I won't d-do it again! Promise!" he stuttered a quiet response, "I-I heard noises so I went to g-go see and it came from in th-there. I thought something might've happened to y-you!"

"That's nice, but don't go prowling where you're not allowed! You know your punishment, now turn around."

Jace remembered this quite clearly, but he no longer feared it, so why was he dreaming this? This was probably his fourth or fifth whipping in his life, still hating the feel and bursting into tears which only brought more lashes for he had to learn not to feel the pain but the discipline. He turned slowly and got onto his hands and knees, small tears dropped to the floor off his cheeks. "This is for your own good Lightwood." Lightwood?

Slowly Valentine became younger and his face changed slightly with each whip slash turning into Sebastian. He gasped in realisation, looking back at what was himself, was now Alec with a scrunched up face trying to hold back tears, his weakness trying to leak through. "NO!" Jace screamed and ran for him when they disappeared in a puff of smoke.

He sat bolt upright trying to catch his breath. He looked at his shoulder and could feel it pounding, this meant something with your parabatai was terribly wrong or they were in trouble. "Jace?" Clary whispered from beside him with a yawn, "what's wrong?"

"My parabatai rune.....hurts like a bitch." he swallowed deeply getting air back through his lungs, "something's wrong. We have to find him."

"Babe," Clary turned to face him with a small whimper, "we will okay? Don't worry, he'll be fine, everything will work out okay." She clutched her head, "oooooow. I hate my mom! And the weather recently, plus when was the institute last cleaned?" she sneezed and stuffed her face in the pillow.

"I'll go get you a couple tablets, stay here."

"Wasn't thinking of leaving." she grumbled into the pillow which made Jace huff. Ill women are more annoying that ones that rant on a first date.

Leaving his room he stretched like a cat against the wall, "JACE." A voice shouted from behind, he turned to see an angry Jocelyn running towards him, "WHERE IS CLARY?"

He stared in confusion, "Um-in there." He pointed towards his door, "she doesn't want to see you if that's what you want. She's ill and just needs to rest, blames you partly."

"It's your fault! This institute is covered in dust, being cooped up in here instead of outside and also going out in the previous cold and windy weather could get anyone sick. Said she was with you."

"My fault? I don't even know what I've done for you to hate me. I found her crying in her room screaming how angry she was with you, when it was quiet I went in and found she had cried herself to sleep, literally. So to make sure you couldn't find her I brought her to my room where I fell asleep with her in my, as she calls, 'loving and caring arms', so explain that."

By now she was fuming, in Jace's opinion her over-reactive level was way too high and was easy to detonate. "I'M SEEING HER AND YOU CAN'T STOP ME! AND YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO SEE HER!" 

"It's my room. You can't ban me from my own room, you don't live here, nor are you related to me. Now don't hurt her while I get her some paracetamol."

"You will pay for this Jonathan Herondale." and she walked into his room slamming the door shut making Jace wince. If she hurt Clary again...... "CLARISSA ADELE MORGENSTERN WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE PLAYING AT?"

Jace felt sad that he was walking away instead of running back and defending her. In the kitchen he took a mango out the fruit bowl and bit into it, bit tough since it was so large but after he knew what they looked like whole after shopping with Simon, he bought them ocassionally and ate them before anyone could chop it; cookies to. He took out the medicine box and searched for the paracetamol which shouldn't have been hard since most of their injuries were iratze fixable. The mango juice was dripping on some boxes making the cardboard crinkle ruining the 'lovely' designs on the front, then right at the bottom was the some paracetamol. He finished the mango and made a glass of water, gulped it down, then another one for Clary.

His room was quiet when he returned, he nudged the door open and found it empty; sighing in frustration, he started towards her room when the sound of throwing up was heard in the bathroom next to him. "Clary?"

"Go away Jace!" Jocelyn shouted, he ignored her.

He walked in and set the tablets and water down, "I'll take over Jocelyn. Thanks for the help," his setence drenched in sarcasm, "you've done enough."

"No! You leave! She's my daughter!"

"Mom, let him stay and you-" she paused to throw up again, "go. Leave." throwing up again.

She huffed and stormed out and tried to push Jace but he didn't move an inch just infuriating her more. Jace rushed over and held Clary's hand while the other stroked her back lovingly while she continued to bring up everything she'd even eaten. "Thank you." she whispered when she was done, wiping her mouth with toilet paper and flushing, "for getting rid of her and not being repulsed at the sight of me."

"Nothing is repulsive about you," he kissed the top of her head and handed her the water and paracetomal, "here."

She swallowed and gave a distgusted look, then drank the water with the same expression. "Sick tastes better than this..." she tried to get up but Jace stopped her.

"I'll carry you." He scooped her up like earlier and noticed her red cheek again, "she slapped you again?" he got no response because she had fallen asleep within those matter of seconds.

He smiled to himself at her innocence, on the outside she was a shy and scared little red haired girl but inside was a beast, when during a fight or if she was angry it would be unleashed, her bite was worse than her bark if she tried. That's what he loved about her, she was a book, never judge her by her cover.

~*~ 

"This map really helps. We should start with these three locations, Pirmasens, Saarlouis and Perl where Jace has already been. Saarlouis is closest to Idris so I say check there first. So who's going and when?" Magnus said feeling proud.

"Well if we're going soon Clary can't go because she is ill at the moment but you should go Magnus, your magic would come to great help for Sebastian controls magic it seems now along with who knows what else. But you alone is a bad idea..." Maryse said with a very thoughtful tone, "Isabelle? Would you go?"

"Sure. Why not, but only if Clary can't. I'll just be a reserve." 

"Okaaay then. So when will we go?" Magnus inquired trying to keep down the excitement inside him, "Before the battle or during? If we go before he could be more dangerous but during battle all his forces will be fighting, I doubt he will join. It will be him and a few demons and faeries behind to guard his little hidey hole."

This got everyone thinking for a while, the silence wasn't awkward anymore after being in it for so long each day for the past couple weeks. Suddenly the door burst open and Jace came in holding something, "Everyone listen!' he was panting, "another...letter arrived." Luke's eyes went wide along with everyone else, then his attention fixed on Jocelyn who peeked through the door as relief flooded over her; must've been lost.

"I'll read it." Maryse stated harshly so no-one would object, "Dear fellow nephilim,

Weren't expecting another letter were you? Well, you're not the brightest bunch I admit but a little status update on everything, yes that includes Alec, plus a little extra twist at the end. This letter won't be particularly long because I have business to do in Germany-I know that you know that I'm in Germany- and with Alec when I return. He's sleeping more than usual, not a good thing because I don't want him passing out on me before battle! I mean really it's just a little bit of-never mind. He'll tell you if he's sane enough.

About the battle. As you know you have four days and four days only to gather the biggest army you can possibly get from the Clave. Sure you have Lucian to gather the werwolves and perhaps you can get Raphael to help you again but the Clave? And what about warlocks, perhaps Magnus can get them but only some, they're very stubborn creatures... I won't be there to fight, sad right? The faeries shall be there and Lucius shall be leading them while I'm sure some of you will come find me. Unless you try earlier which I suggest you don't. 

Now onto Alec, he's not doing too good, from your point of view. When you eventually get him he may be slighty...traumatized shall we say? He kept the strong guy act up for about a week and the occasional day but now he's all mine. I did something yesterday which I shall do again today and everyday until the battle if he doesn't pass out on me. Perhaps I should allow him one iratze....what do you say? Nah, my stele. Still in the same conditions, the Magnus section of the last section gives a pretty good description if you happen to have forgotten. Is Jace getting dreams? I notice sometimes Alec at night writhes around on the floor screaming his name and his parabatai rune is what, glowing? I find it amusing and for Jace it would be, as he says, 'hurting like a bitch'. 

I don't plan on surrenduring but if you happen to find me on the day of battle before you make yourselves extinct, I have a mischievous plan some of you may not like. But, if I told you know I wouldn't be able to see your shocked expressions or the thoughtful ones as I say what it takes to get Alec back to you, slightly traumatised but nonetheless at least I haven't killed him; surely you must be thanking me for at least that? 

Oh and that little twist I mentioned. I have predicted three places you assume I was in, I'm not smart enough to know who assumed them but I do know that they are Parmesans, Saarlouis and Perl. Am I right? I know I am. Something, in your institute has been a little bit of a spy. And it is in the room with you right now. That's right I see you standing there are all day long talking. I'm probably watching you read this letter aloud or seperately to yourselves!

Ta ta,

Jonathan Christopher Morgenstern."

Everyone stood in silence and shock. There was object somewhere, with a little camera watching them. Sebastian knew everything, their plans, their reactions to everything including their expressions. "Lets go to an empty bedroom near the back of the institute. We'll be safer and more secret there." Jace said quietly but everyone heard him crystal clear.

"I'm going to leave with Jocelyn." Luke said as they left the room, "I have to inform the uh- packs and I can see she's causing a bit of trouble with poor Clary who is now sick and hurling everywhere."

Jace breathed a sigh of relief knowing that horrible woman Clary was forced to call her mother. Poor Clary, she couldn't have a worse family; Sebastian for a mother, Valentine for a father and now Jocelyn is turning on her against him with some grudge she won't explain since to her it seems so self-explanatory. They disappeared down a different corridor while the others continued to an empty corridor where no-one had their room. "I'm going to check on Clary in her room." Jace murmured before turning away.

"I have a client booked." Magnus also murmured before leaving leaving just Izzy and Maryse.

"See if dad wants to talk, I'm going to meet up with Simon." Izzy murmured, 'back later, I think we all just. Need some time to think this through. I'm sorry mom to leave you like this but this institute is beginning to feel like a cage that I cannot escape. I haven't left in the past what, three weeks? It's suffocating me from the inside out!" and she ran off.

Maryse watched in sadness realising how alone she was, with Robert in Idris 'working' instead of being home helping with the institute where he doesn't want to stay because it reminds him of Max and realises there is no-one to carry on the Lightwood name therefore finding it hard to even be in the same room as Alec who wishes he could change the way he feels so his father didn't think he was some sort of failure! "I should really just divorce you Robert." Maryse whispered to herself with a sigh, "you're never home and hate your own son. What kind of father does that make you?"

~*~

Alec felt horrible and violated. Why would Sebastian do that? It was disgusting and the whole time Sebastian kept making comments on Magnus which just made what he was doing even more repulsive. He'd been sitting hunched in the corner all day since moving 'hurt like a bitch' as Jace would say. He blames Sebastian and the two stamina runes he put on, then of course the injuries that wouldn't heal all over his joints so cuts would open if he bent his knee too far, straightened out his arm crunching the scabs on his elbows. At some point he had thought of holding onto the bars of the cell and just taking a slow and painful suicide. It would end everything else but then all his efforts, his family's efforts -and Sebastian's though he didn't care- would all be put to waste. The guilt in the afterlife if there was one would haunt him for the rest of eternity. 

He glanced at his ankle, it had a numb feeling once he had woken up after passing out from the extreme burn. He found out who the trade was and was definitely certain of who it was. But the question was, why did Sebastian care so much? He was pretty sure an iratze wouldn't fix any of his demon scars or the shackle, why did everything have to be demonic? Sebastian had no mercy, although that was probably going to change it seems. Was he seriously starting to get feelings for this trade person? Why? Maybe his demon was slowly disappearing and he could be a normal person who perhaps kind and loving like when he impersonated the real Sebastian. Damn he hurt all over.

He wondered when Sebastian would be back, he actually missed his company slightly. Sure there were demons everywhere prowling the place, leaving their horrible scent everywhere which was a mix of rubbish, crap and hot sick; he'd thrown up whenever one walked past when he first finished fighting one but over the years he got used to it. Except now it was intensified but again, he got used to it. Speak of the devil, here he was standing in front of him, "Shall we go for round two Lightwood?" Alec suddenly regretted everything he just thought, he missed the taunting but not...this! 

-*-Warning: some sexual content -*-

Sebastian pounced on Alec making him scream at all his joints moving and his scabs crushing, wounds re-opening. "Please Sebastian stop!" He begged as he kissed along his jaw and down his neck biting the soft spot he thought only Magnus knew of, "stop! Stop! I'll do anything!" He began crying at the pain and disgust he felt.

His hands began exploring, "Not any time soon...." He paused and moved his lips to his ear, "sweet pea."

Alec screamed and lifted his hurting hands to cover his face. Only Magnus called him that! Only once and said he hated it, but really, he thought it was adorable and absolutely loved it. By now Sebastian was nipping his neck and feeling around his shaft with his hand, Alec moaned but regretted it since doing that only encouraged Sebastian. Alec hated the feeling but his body said different which just scared him; he felt like a whore, not putting up a fight. This was rape! "No...no! Stop!" Alec pleaded with all his heart as Sebastian removed their trousers and boxers. "please no! Not again please!"

Sebastian laughed turning him over. "Now now Alec, you seem to be loving this. Why on earth should I stop?" He slid in slowly.

"STOP!" tears flowed down his cheeks, "IF YOU CARE SEBASTIAN YOU'LL STOP! DO YOU HAVE NO MERCY DEMON?" Sebastian enraged and began to pound making Alec curl up and claw at the ground.

"Damn Alec." Sebastian murmured, "you tight. Thought Magnus might've stretched you by now."

"FUCK YOU!" Alec cried out in pain, Magnus was gentle unless Alec sometimes had to beg him but Sebastian was just cruel. He felt like a triangle.

"Um. Sir?" Came a rough and deep voice from outside the cell.

It was a shax demon, "What is it?" Sebastian asked with impatience.

"Lucifer is asking about the items you are collecting and when you are going to leave because urgent business has come up in the underworld."

"Can't he wait?"

The demon shook his head, "Tell him he can go and I'll wait for him to get back. I'm a little busy if you haven't noticed." The demon hissed at him and walked away, "stupid demons!" he punched Alec in the face to release his anger, "now where were we sweet pea?" Alec whimpered.

He continued pounding painfully until Alec couldn't take much more and his body filled with unwanted pleasure bringing him higher and higher, right to the top of his cliff. He bit into his hand to stay quiet drawing a bit of blood from where sharp corners had cut through the skin, he was so close and then it would be over. But would he just return the next day? Probably. "Come for me sweet pea." And Alec did so, screaming into his hand and crying, "who's a good boy?" Sebastian kissed his shoulder and pulled out making Alec wince.

He heard him do up his belt buckle and zip, then his footsteps disappearing down the hallway. Alec was fully crying, again, just like yesterday when Sebastian had left without a word and left him there to suffer. He couldn't take it anymore, he pulled himself across the floor, after doing up his trousers again of course, he looked left and right as far as he could for anyone. He took a deep breath and looked at the bars, he lifted his hands shakily, and grabbed on letting out an ear piercing screech.

~*~

Izzy sat on the park bench playing with her fingers and making shadows on the ground by her feet. "Hey." She looked up to see Simon smiling at her, "you rang?" he chuckled and sat next to her.

"Oh Simon." she breathed and grabbed him into one of her hugs, "I've missed you."

"Ha ha I've missed you to Izzy, now what's wrong? You don't look healthy, nor do you sound very happy."

"It's Alec. Sebastian took him and Jace, Clary, mom, Magnus have been at the institute for the past two weeks trying to track him; he sent three letters and Alec isn't doing too good. Luke and Jocelyn came over earlier and she got into a fight with Clary over something, now Clary has what sounds like the flu then the third letter arrived and it turns out Sebastian has been watching us! Then Luke and Jocelyn left, then Magnus left and I left to, Jace is with Clary and I left mom all alone. I feel so guilty because she has no-one to comfort her at home. Jace and Clary have each other, I have you, I guess she has what, Church? Lucky to have that grumpy pile of fur around her begging for food."

Simon returned her hug with a tight squeeze, "I had no idea. I've been lonely to y'know, Maia is busy doing....things with Jordan back at the apartment so I stay at Eric's a lot so I practice band of course and we do gigs but apart from that. But I can't complain, you couldn't be in a worse situation."

"And" she choked back a sob, "I think mom will actually divorce my dad. I mean, he-he never comes home, he can't stand being in the same room as Alec when he's forced to, he'll never be in it willingly so they really only see each other at meetings and all they do is share glances; when he talks to us he goes off and stands in the corner with his shoulders slumped and I can tell how watery his eyes are."

"I know how he feels. My mom can't accept me being a vampire, but I guess I have Rebecca and you guys. So Alec has you, his mom accepts him and so does his very beautiful sister."

Isabelle chuckled lightly and gave him a peck on the lips, "I just want him home and it all to be over, but to do that Sebastian wants to trade something or someone in return, says we won't like it but it's either that or he keeps Alec and we keep fighting battle until we win or make ourselves extinct."

Simon sat in silence and stroked her back while she cried silently into his shirt making it damp. Izzy never cried, she was always a strong shadowhunter until everything went downhill as soon as Valentine and family came into their lives. Izzy liked Clary and all but she couldn't help but have a grudge against her and the rest of her family, Luke didn't count since he was kind of originally Graymark but Valentine, Jocelyn, Sebastian and Clary are all just walking curses to her. "Simon..."

"Yeah babe?" He kissed the top of her head.

"Why do you like Clary so much?"

He hesitated, "W-why do you ask?"

"Just curious....I've just been thinking that's all, brain in a muddle and all."

"Well, she's cute, funny, very quaint and I've known her since we were extremely tiny. We've lived in the same houses all these years until now of course so we lived close, went to the same school and hung out together as the sort of out casts of school, no-one liked us much so we only had each other. So of course over time, being a guy going through puberty grew feelings for her because we were so close and thought we were destined to be together then everything changed... Jace came into her life after saving it numerous times, then at the Dumont she saved me which gave me hope but then I got the friendzone. Then her and Jace were 'siblings' so I was slightly happy at that then we were dating and I couldn't be happier whether I was a vampire and stopped aging at 17 I didn't care, I was dating the girl I'd had a crush on for years. But for some reason.... I broke it off, I knew she still had feelings for Jace no matter what and I couldn't love someone who didn't love me as much as I did. Then I realised how much I cared for you, of course I've thought you were super hot since I first met you as you could probably have told, you know the rest of our story."

She felt guilty now. "Oh." was all she said before staring at her fingers she kept fiddling with.

"Now, you tell me what you've been thinking, why are you thinking about Clary?"

This got her in a dilemma. She didn't want to hurt his feelings, but she didn't want to lie to him; but lying then him somehow finding out the truth would just make it worse, so she told the truth. "Not just Clary, her whole family. Her real family. I just- think they were all walking curses. Valentine tried to change the shadowhunters so he could rule us, Jocelyn isn't exactly useful is she? She hasn't done much and gave birth to the demon spawn that is Sebastian who is trying to make us extinct so he can breed his own dark race and Clary.... she's a walking disaster! She brings nightmares and trouble to everyone she meets, she doesn't think about her actions putting her life in danger when there could be a simply way to fix it. I mean Jace especially, he's the reason he is softer and more thoughtful over things, the reason I barely see him anymore, who got him killed twice. Alec, she took Jace away from him and they were parabatai, inseperable until they met. And me, she's destroying my family one by one just by being herself. I hate it!"

Simon released his hold on Izzy, "Simon I'm sorry, it was either tell you the truth or lie and just make it ten times worse when you did eventually find out and blame me for not telling you earlier! You put in a horrible position there."

"I'm sorry, being so close to Clary but I know how you feel, don't you think I have been hurt to? She spends all her time with Jace or in the training room so I rarely get to see her either. You're not alone in this so please just....stop acting like it. I know a lot is happening but I've just found it all from you in a matter of minutes!" He sighed, "I'm going to tell Raphael and see if he'll help in battle, may as well so Maryse doesn't have to. Check on Clary for me will you? Tell me how she is." and he walked away leaving Izzy crying on the park bench.

She was expecting this reaction, but not for him to just leave. She stood up and wiped away the tears with her cardigan and set off back to the institute slowly, she didn't want to see Clary at all, just talking about her made her realise how much she had a grudge. She still liked her as a person, they were good friends but deep down she did not like her at all; but she was doing it for Simon, he was worried about her even though she had been ignoring him quiet a lot so to him, she was special no matter what. It made her wonder if she was still that special to him in his eyes...

She loved him, but was she turning to him? Loving someone who doesn't love you back?


	6. Chapter 6

"Hey Luke!"

"Alpha!"

"Hey Luke is back!"

"Alright everybody calm down!" Luke laughed at his pack's face all staring at him in wonder, "as you have probably guessed I really only return on important business these days sadly. And today, is one of those times."

The whole pack grumbled with disappointment, "I need you to prepare for battle," a few snarled at while others looked up in fear and shock, "another war is coming. A big war that could last for days or a few hours we don't know, it depends on some certain actions that need to take place from a few nephilim. Anyhow, I may as well get the riot over and done with; if you need to run, please, get outside before you shift and collapse the building on top of us. This battle, is against Sebastian Verlac, or you may know him as, Jonathan Christopher Morgenstern. He has the fair folk on his side and a vast amount of demons to including some greater ones, even as powerful as Lucifer perhaps. That is all I can tell you for that is all I know, it shall take place out on Idris plain at sundown in a couple days. I will see you at sundown today to prepare and practice outside." Luke stood back and watched all hell break loose.

Some wolves immediately went for the staircase to escape and run their anger off in the woods in wolf form, some shouted and cursed to themselves or to others then a few just stood in shock ignoring the chaos. "You got to be kidding us right?" Neil asked from behind him.

"Neil, what makes you think I would joke about this? Sebastian, Jonathan, has a hostage of one of the nephilim that happens to be very close to the New York institute owners. I can see the pack is willing to fight even if some are scared out of their wits or happy with bloodlust but we must be careful. We might have the help of the warlocks and vampire clan in the city but I'm not sure." He patted him on the shoulder, "see you at sundown. I have to get back to my cranky wife waiting in the car. I think I'll need some luck just for surviving her, she's scaring her daughter and I'm worried."

"Don't worry alpha, everything will be fine. They'll make up and we'll win the battle victoriously!"

"I hope so Neil, I hope so." He got down from the podium and went upstairs through the hectic police station ignoring everyone around him, Jocelyn was still sat in a grumpy position with her arms folded across her chest and a pout on her face. The pout was cute, but the rest annoyed him; she had no reason to snap at Jace and Clary about their relationship, she has serious problems that woman.

~*~

Jace stroked the hair out of Clary's face while she panted like a dog in summer, she was even in shorts and a tank top with no covers or sheets. "Enjoy it while it lasts." Said a deep voice all too familiar making them tense up.

"You. WHY!?" he yelled turning round feeling a strong urge to slit his throat or stab a knife through his ice cold heart.

Sebastian smiled devishly and held out his hand holding a piece of paper. "Two words. I'm sure everyone will get the drift." And he disappeared letting the paper float to the ground.

Walking over Jace picked it up and nodded, "I knew it wasn't a trick."

"What does it say?" Jace turned back to Clary with tears in his eyes.

"She's mine." He looked back at the paper, "he even somehow has that picture of you and I in Idris outside the Accords Hall on the steps attatched."

Clary closed her eyes and began crying. "Why me?" She whispered, "if it weren't for you Jace I'd probably be dead by now, Simon too I guess."

"Clary! Don't you ever say that! You are one of the bravest girls I've ever met and a huge risk taker for those you love and that's what I love about you amongst other things. And if you die, I die to."

"Jace..."

"No. You know how much I love you, did you never listen? Or read the note I left you when I hunted for Sebastian not wanting you to worry about me? As long as I can dream, I will dream of you. Remember?"

"Yes Jace, I remember. How could I forget? As long as you're alive, I will stay alive with you. And to you, I die if you do."

Jace smiled and eveloped her in a huge hug. "I'll go fetch the others, you stay here my little guardian angel, I'll come fetch you and carry bridal style!" he winked making Clary giggle and lay back down on the pillow shutting her eyes.

Jace smiled at her beauty and the love he felt for her was so strong, if something were to happen...... He shook his head clearing it of the horrible thought, leaving the room. He wasn't actually going to tell anyone for a few hours, let her sleep off some of her flu first. He smiled, she was so innocent.

 

 

A hand shot onto her mouth muffling her scream of shock that awoke her. "Ssssh Clary sssssh." Clary tensed at the voice and slowly opened her eyes, "hey there sister."

She tried to move his hand away but he had an iron grip, he climbed on top of her and pinned her hands above her head. She writhed beneath him but he had her stuck in place, his hands over her mouth and gripping her wrists together and his knees pinning down her legs at the calf. He was too strong but she wouldn't give up. He removed his hand and kissed her. She muffled something but he ignored it as he licked her bottom lip making her gasp and he invaded her mouth with his tongue. He arched against her making her move sideways as far as she could to get away. "We'll continue this later love." He whispered, "now scream for your Jace while I prepare our teleporter."

"JACE! JACE!" She absolutely screamed, "SEBASTIAN IS HERE! HELP ME I CAN'T MOVE!"

Sebastian laughed at her weak attempt, he opened a portal on the wall by the window and grabbed her by the waist. "GET OFF ME YOU BASTARD!"

"Aw Clary, I'm your brother and that was very offensive." He threw her through the portal roughly listening to her screams fade. "This is going to be fun." He stepped in and turned to see Jace looking stunned. He smirked and gave a little wave before disappearing.

~*~

"Jace! Jace!"

"Clary?" He turned round and saw the corridor empty.

"Sebastian is here! Help me I can't move!"

"Shit shit shit no!" He took off at a run back to her bedroom, "Clary I'm coming!" He threw open the door just in time to see Sebastian throw her in a portal.

"This is going to be fun." Sebastian chuckled to himself, he turned to look at Jace who suddenly couldn't move.

He waved and stepped backwards, the portal closing after him releasing Jace from his invisible iron grip. "No!" He scraped at the wall where a pile of ash now stood, "Clary!"

"Jace what happened?" Izzy asked from behind him, she was still wearing her coat, "why are you holding ashes?"

He gave her the piece of paper, "Now who do you think she is?"

"Okay, where is she?"

"Gone. Sebastian took her, the ashes are where the portal burnt off her wallpaper."

"By the angel... Alec and now Clary, oh Jace, please don't do anything stupid. All we can do is wait, losing all three of my brothers would be the end of me and you know that."

"I know... I'll try not to, but if Sebastian hurts her in any way I will rip his insides out and make a pie then feed it to the ducks."

"Jace. Ducks don't eat meat."

"They're bloodthirsty I tell you! Something inside me tells me they are. You are brainwashed by their fluffiness."

"Whatever, I'll go show mom this. Is Magnus still here?"

"Don't think so, weren't you with Simon?"

"Yeeeeeeah buuuuut, change of plans."

Jace rolled his eyes and began scuffling through the ashes again, "Can portal locations be tracked?"

"I don't know Jace, I don't know." She gave him an apologetic look and went to find Maryse.

~*~

Magnus was walking down the street when he noticed a small package on the ground. Written on it with scribbled handwriting were the words 'Warlock Bane. Ex of Lightwood.' He frowned at it, how did it get to the middle of the city on a busy street that was unusually empty. He opened it up and gasped, inside was the small hair clip that he had given Alec, secretly fixed with a warlock camera so he could someday re-watch all his actions. "Please let Sebastian not seen it." He turned and ran back to his apartment.

Carefully he attached it to his computer and waited for the footage to load. "Come on come on!" The footage blurred momentarily before refocusing, he fast forwarded to when he stormed out the institute. "No...."

He watched Alec get himself stupidly drunk since the camera was able to let Magnus see through Alec's eyes; then Sebastian. Listening to their conversation he couldn't believe it, then everything went black and static as if it had fallen off or taken off but the recording wasn't over.

The next thing to appear was through Sebastian's eyes, he was speaking. "Well played warlock, but I'm not that stupid. Have fun watching the events of Alec being gone."

Magnus watched the weeks that had passed with non stop crying and then at the end of the recording an ear piercing screech which made Sebastian chuckle. "End of video warlock, I'm off to get my trade. You'll know what I mean soon enough, but if you want Alec alive, tell no one of this footage or anything you have seen or heard. See you in a couple days." Then the recording ended.

The phone rang but he ignored it, whoever it was would question his sorrow filled tone and it was probably only the stupid shadowhunters, they'd leave a message. He was right, "Magnus quit your crying and get over here to help us. Sebastian took Clary and we have two days. Please get as many warlocks as you can then come here. I'm not begging you but the majority of our race is so please, help." 

And who sounded like Isabelle hung up. He sighed and grabbed the phone, wiping away his tears he dialed Catarina fiirst. "Hey it's me."

"Oh my god Magnus! How are you? What have you been up to? Why are you calling? How's Alec?"

"Alec is... not here. I need you, well the shadowhunters do to help in a war Sebastian is releasing in a couple days, ring every warlock you know and ask if they can make to the plain outside of the Idris gates in a couple days at sundown. I will be elsewhere but don't worry about me."

"I-uh, um, sure? That was a bit sudden. What happened to Alec? Is he ok? Did you break up!?"

 

"Both."

" I'll do the best I can. Good luck Magnus." 

"You to. See you after battle." Catarina hung up and Magnus continued to go through his list of warlocks who would most likely be in New York at the moment or somewhere in the states which happened to be a lot.

After ringing about fifty warlocks he headed down to the institute since he knew the others were waiting for him, and if he didn't appear, would just keep ringing until he did. Sighing in defeat he got up and was about to leave when the phone rang again, "What?" he moaned at the mic.

"Sorry Mr Grumpy!"

"What do you want Isabelle? I got your message and rung a few warlocks and told them to tell everyone they know in the area or possible to make it so quit your worrying."

"Alright, good. Well, come on over. We're going to Idris to gather shadowhunters today and tonight. Battle is only a couple days away."

 

"Trust me, I know. I was just about to leave, so, if you'll excuse me." He hung up and marched out of his apartment, when were they going to send him and Isabelle to find Alec? He was getting impatient by the second as the battle drew closer. 

At the institute she was waiting for him on the steps, "Round here." she called and went away.

Magnus got out of his car and sighed. He really didn't want to be there, he was only doing it for Alec even though they had broken up weeks ago but now he realised, they both couldn't survive without each other. That ear pierching screech at the end worried him deeply, what did he do? What happened?

Round the back of the institute everyone was stood waiting for him, "They're expecting us, you may want to tell them downworlders will arrive at sundown on the day of battle." Maryse said speaking directly at Magnus, "Luke will be joining us then along with Jocelyn but for now, it is just us four."

Magnus nodded in understanding and opened a portal for them. "Step on through!" They all went through the portal and walked out into the Accords Hall, "since when is there a portal here?" 

"Since Clary made one." Jace said, his voice cracking at her name shaking his head to clear it, "Simon will join us later, he's with the vampires. Come on lets go get the inquisitor." 

In a long line they all filed out of the Accords Hall and into the busy streets of Idris, Magnus now had permission to be here since he had been such a great help and had a relationship with Alec who's father was Robert who had an important place of work in Idris. Barely anyone bothered to spare a glance at them, though some stopped to admire Jace and laugh at the warlock wearing bright orange mixed with neon yellow, not to mention the glitter. "I guess this means we have to tell your father." Maryse sighed making Isabelle stop in her tracks.

"You haven't told him!" Isabelle gasped, "how? I think he'd like to know his son was missing! Are we just going to say 'oh yeah, by the way dad, your son Alec has been missing for a couple weeks and has been tortured roughly and will probably be barely alive once we find him.'"

"Izzy, be quiet. He doesn't care much for Alec and neither him back, plus you know us."

"So you are... I thought you weren't going to." She choked back a sob, "w-why?"

"It's complicated okay? You wouldn't understand."

"I'm your daughter! Of course I should understand! I HATE YOU!" she ran off with tears streaking her cheeks to their family house where he would most likely be.

"Izzy!" Jace called and ran off after her high on her heels leaving Maryse and Magnus standing awkwardly in the middle of the street. 

~*~

Simon marched into the hotel Dumont looking for Raphael so he could leave as quickly as possible. The place gave him the creeps, but a war against Sebastian was probably the worst thing in shadowhunter history. Or to Simon, who still acted and felt more mundane than vampire, a simply terrifying idea.

Some vampires were huddled in a corner, there were always a couple that would stick around till sunrise and then get stuck in a corner being forced to move with the shadows. They looked up at Simon and hissed, "Ok fine, I won't help you get upstairs. Not that I was going to anyway." Simon snickered at them and flew up the stairs since it was physically impossible to walk.

Up on the top floor, as usual during the day everyone was asleep. Which made it all the more unlikely for Raphael to agree, he was reluctant before in the previous battle against Sebastian since his 'dark' shadowhunters didn't affect his clan, nor his entire race which now of course, included Simon. 

Raphael was hanging in the darkest corner which was typical, being the head he had to be safe during the day, so he got the darkest places to sleep in while everyone else were shadows for him just to increase the darkness; only problem was no one actually cared much about it. They were vampires, their life is solo and yolo.

Simon walked over, his eyes adjusting to the darkness. Raphael looked really stupid, although you would be, hanging upside down asleep all day long. "Raphael." He gave him a shove, knocking him off the beam, "I need to talk to you."

Raphael groaned and sat up, "Stupid daylighter! Couldn't you wait till night when I'm actually awake?"he spat, "what could possibly be so important?"

"Another war, against Seba- Jonathan. So of course I'm coming to ask your aid since the Fay have sided with him, as you know."

"Must we, Simon? What makes you think we'll win again? Your friends are all alive, but a lot of my clan died, the rest forced to retreat because of the morning sun. Stuck in Idris, stupid place really."

"A simple yes or no would suffice. It's in two days, out on Idris plain. If you decide, there will be a portal to the accords hall. I hope to see you there at nightfall." With that, he spun on his heel and left.


	7. Chapter 7

The following day, everyone was in Idris doing some sort of practise. The lyncanthropes were doing battle tactics out on the plain, warlocks and witches had numerous dummies to try spells on, while the shadowhunters were in the Accords Hall arguing. Sure everyone was ready to battle but they still needed to argue over how they could try and avoid it at all costs. Alec and Clary being taken were a huge issue but since only Isabelle and Jace knew of their master plan everyone would obviously go against, they were forced to sit quietly and listen to everyone panic.

The new inquisitor was silently watching the fight rage on in the crowd, the Consul kept shouting "Everyone please calm down!" but it wasn't working, then some few high shadowhunters, Robert Lightwood inclusive, sat frustrated near the back of the podium. 

It had been like such for a few hours by now, Isabelle was itching to tell her father about Alec since she had not had the chance the day before; Robert wasn't at the Lightwood mansion so Jace used his chance to convince her to just stop. "Jace, this is going nowhere." She hissed at him, "I'm sneaking round and telling him."

"Izzy, what did I tell you yesterday?" He spat back.

"'Just give it up' I know! But screw you Jace, he needs to know. I need to tell him. Just to clarify. Mom and Alec may not love him anymore, Max is dead, but I still do! It's unconditional! So screw you!"

Jace only simply raised an eyebrow and sighed, "fine, go."

Isabelle nodded and ran off, having to dodge people who were jumping around like hot potatoes with rage. That's what happen if you sit in the middle of a row and column, it was near deserted at the pillars since no-one particularly wanted to stand for hours on end. 

Weaving inbetween them she had sneeked to behind Robert and tapped him in the shoulder, "Dad?"

Robert sighed and turned round, looking at her over his shoulder, "What is it Isabelle? Can't it wait until after this damn argument?"

"In my opinion, no. I tried to tell you yesterday but couldn't find you."

"Well what is it then? Go ahead, amuse me."

"You know about the war and all this, but what about behind the scenes? Sebast-Jonathan has two hostages with him. One he took yesterday, the other I can't even remember! But quite a few weeks!"

"And who were they?"

"One of them was Clary, and guess who the other one was?"

He frowned, getting a little concerned, "Clary? Surely the rest of the clave should know that Izzy, don't keep secrets. Now who is this other one?"

"Alec."

"Not surprising, not hard to catch. He always has been weak when it comes to defending himself," Isabelle took a step back out of sheer shock, "wouldn't be surprised if he's dead when we find him. If we find him."

"You monster!" she cried and fled the Accords Hall, sick of everyone and everything, glancing at Jace hoping to catch his eye, which he did and fled after her; everyone was too busy arguing to notice their departure, except for Robert, who watched them leave with a hurt expression because he felt betrayed by his daughter whom he still loved.

~*~

"Maia stop it!"

"I don't want to hurt you! Why can't I be partnered with someone else?"

"Because you chose me perhaps? We're preparing for battle babe, go fight Luke or I will."

Maia being the complete submissive to Jordan, had chosen to partner with him before Luke had even said what they were doing. They were near the edge of the woods away from everyone for Jordan's sake, he was a well known fighter for the pack but with Maia constantly pulling out of even biting him round the ankle would be pure embarrassment. His girl was tough in battle, but not during practice, she was as harmless as a baby, but dangerous as a just turned wolf. 

Jordan was about to pounce, getting frustrated when another wolf, its fur the same colour as the forest trees leaped from in out of the shadows. It growled feircly and started clawing at Jordan's chest. "Dude!" Maia barked, "what the hell? Get off him!"

The other wolf pinned Jordan down and sat on him, "Practice little one. I got bored of my partner, thought I'd try Jordan. Feel free to have mine, he's called Sammol. I'm Clarkson, never call me my first name." Maia rolled her eyes at him and was about to yowl when Sammol pounced on her.

"Just fight you little pup!"

"I am no pup!" Maia growled and pushed him off her, both pairs immediately started fighting a lot more than previously.

Maia was the dominant one against Sammol, he was probably younger by a few years and had never been to battle before. Except rogue wolves or pack wars but nothing major. He was probably only about 12 or 13 at the previous battle, so no match for Maia who survived the war in pretty ship shape at 16.

It didn't take long for her to pin the wolf down and sit on his chest. It felt good, winning against another wolf that isn't pityful Jordan for a change. Neither made the indication to start fighting again so they just sat there, Sammol eventually rolling out from under her and sitting beside. 

The boys fighted for a good two hours, Maia had got bored and dozed off, her paws in the air looking as if she were dead. Sammol had joined the guys so they became some sort of bloodthirsty trio, clawing and biting at each other, tearing through the skin. Luke had finished his patrolling through the woods and growled at Maia, instantly waking her. "Luke!" she stammered, sitting in attention, "I was just uh- taking a breather."

"For two hours? Course you were." He sat beside her and swished his tail like an annoyed house cat.

"It wasn't meant to be that long. But Luke, come on, you know the majority of us don't need constant training all day and night long. We need rest!"

"You're a werewolf, Maia, your energy regenerates quicker than others. Got bored of Jordan and Sammol? After that one round?"

"Oh shut up. He needs the training with guys his level."

"Because you are obviously stronger than Jordan and Clarkson combined. Or even Jordan alone." Maia bit his ankle.

"Alright! I just- do we really need all this? I mean, we didn't do this last battle! Seven years, each pack is larger and we still have everyone from back then still fighting. The shadowhunters have grown! Everyone is more powerful, then there's the warlocks. There's over 300 of them! Only they, and Sebastian can use magic."

"Yes, but remember this battle is for someone's life and the peace between us? It's you know, just a little more important." He said with a slight snarl making Maia cringe slightly.

"You mean Alec? You do know he's not the only one who's been captured right?"

"What!? How do you know? Who is it?"

"Isabelle told me yesterday, I think I know why she didn't want me to tell you know. But I've dug myself too deep into this hole haven't I?"

"Maia!" Luke leaped and pinned her to the ground, "who. Is. It?"

"Clary."

"WHAT." he howled into the air, "NO!" he ran off into the woods, but in the opposite direction of the multiple packs who had now gathered round to try to see what happened; even though it was over and Luke was gone. Probably to tell Jocelyn-which couldn't have been a worse idea- the news.

~*~

Sebastian watched Clary across the room, shackled to the wall. She had rings of fire bound round her wrists as cuffs that dug into her skin the more she struggled, or even moved, her ankles the same. They shouldn't be kept on for more than a couple hours, but of course Sebastian didn't care. Her shackles though, were round her elbows and knees that were studded on the inside designed to cause extreme pain when trying to bend said limbs. She was completely stuck in one position unless Sebastian decided to move her.

Clary was glaring at him with pure white hatred. Ignoring her slowly burning skin, all attention on him. Watching. Waiting. "Care to explain you little rat?" She spat at him.

"Explain what?" He grinned, "gesture to me."

"This situation," she said ignoring the last comment, "same reason as last time? To get to Jace or use my powers to turn me into a dark shadowhunter? Well good luck with that."

"No, I'm selling you."

"To who!? You're not keeping me for yourself? The hell?"

"That's for me to know, and for you to find out. I can't keep you and I don't need you. I won't miss you." He raised an eyebrow, "You'll find out tomorrow. That's if your friends would rather rage on war or trade you for peace."

"What about Alec? Is he just- just a helpless pawn in all this?"

Sebastian opened his mouth to speak when an eidolon burst in the room, "So sorry master, but it is the nephilim! He has done something!"

"He has done many things, what is it now?"

"He held the bars." Sebastian's already black eyes seemed to widen further.

"Is he alive?" 

"I cannot touch him, I am an eidolon, sir." Sebastian sprang from his seat and out the door, his footsteps echoing off the walls, slowly decreasing to silence.

So much for Alec being a pawn in all this.

~*~

Isabelle had told Jace the whole conversation with her dad, she hated his guts and hoped his life would be a miserable one. She was now wandering through the streets glumly, aiming to get back to the Lightwood mansion without being bothered.

She got to the edge of Idris rather silently, some children out in the streets gave her strange looks, one good looking boy came over and offered to walk her home and they could talk. But she turned down his offer saying she was taken and would rather not break up with him since his mind was so fragile. 

Simon had portalled over the previous night and then stayed at theirs, why he didn't wait till morning he never said. He had to wait till night to start practising while all the other vampires slept so when Isabelle got back he was sat in the living room reading a manga comic. He looked up from his comic and turned round. "Izzy?"

"Simon..." Simon stood and walked over to her.

"What's wrong? Did something happen?" She bowed her head, tears starting to flow freely. "Izzy tell me."

"Dad....." she mumbled, "he... He doesn't care. Glad the possibility of his death is high... he probably doesn't care that I'm risking mine to save him. I don't want my name anymore!" 

"Izzy..." Simon pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly as she sobbed into his shoulder. "Don't say that, you can't want to be disowned."

"And why not? Alec got disowned four years ago. Why not me as well? Da-Robert doesn't deserve children. Why couldn't I have been a Ringshard? A Blackthorn? Anything!"

"Well if you hate Lightwood so much, I know a name you could have instead."

"Oh please, who would want me in their family? And how?"

"By being my wife." Isabelle froze. 

"What did you say?" she pulled away from him, looking at in disbelief.

Simon got down on one knee and pulled a small velvet box from his pocket. "Isabelle, I know right now couldn't be a more inappropriate time but at the same time it couldn't be better. I love you, love you with all my damned soul and un-beating heart. I want to spend the rest of your life together, or our lives. I'm not quite sure how I could live without you. And in saying so, Isabelle Sophia," he opened the box to reveal a small ring encrusted with coloured gems, "will you marry me?"

Izzy stood there in shock. Marry!? Bit of an odd time to ask for hand in marriage! They might both just fall down dead tomorrow and they wouldn't be married or properly engaged; meaning the ring would be completely pointless!

But the look on Simon's face, the hope in his eyes, the worry in his trembling stance, trying to keep a straight face. Izzy dreamed this day, but not today. But yes, no, yes! no! Argh!

She looked down at him and held his hands, smiling the tiniest bit. "Simon I-" she trailed off, "Yes." she whispered.

Simon choked on the air, "w-what? I didn't hear you, say it louder."

"Yes." she proclaimed, tears flowing down her cheeks, "yes yes yes! Oh, Simon, yes! Yes I will marry you!"

"Really!? Izzy, I... Thank you!" He stood and picked her up round the waist, spinning them both in circles of giggles.

They couldn't be happier, tomorrow's battle completely forgotten; no Sebastian, no Clary or Alec, no nothing. Just the two of them. In their small world of eternal hapiness...

~*~

"Jace!" Magnus called, "listen to me you dumb blonde!"

Jace spun round and held a kitchen knife to Magnus' throat. "Not. In. The. Mood."

"Okay, easy." He pulled the blade back and put it down on the chopping board. "I have awesome news to tell you."

"You don't sound ecstatic so I'm guessing it has to do with someone you don't particularly like but I do?" Jace raises his eyebrow, rather proud of his deduction. 

"Uhm-yeah... It's Isabelle."

"What about her?"

"Simon proposed to her earlier, and she said yes." A grin grew on Jace's face and his eyes burst with colour.

"I knew this would happen someday, didn't you? Could be better timing but all well."

"Better now than never, you can trust me on that."

"I guess so. Perhaps if Simon keeps to the side with fear like he usually does, he has a chance of surviving, though, his love for my sister is strangely strong."

"And yours for Clary isn't?" Magnus coughed 'incest' and Jace rolled his eyes.

"It's complicated. And yours for Alec is strong, too. Plus- over the past months..."

"Don't even go there, I made him forget nonetheless."

"What? Why?"

Magnus raised his eyebrow, "stupid nephilim." Jace simply stuck his tongue out in a childish manner.

"Anyway, let's go find... Never mind. There really isn't anyone to tell."

"Well, I've got a couple things to clear with Luke, care to come with?" Jace shrugged, "let's go then."

~*~

"Jocelyn!" 

"Ssssh! Pipe down or you'll get us killed!" Jocelyn tugged Luke to the ground and dragged him to some bushes. "God, your stupid. Jonathan is right inside that barn!"

"What!? How do you know? Why aren't we telling anyone!?" He made a move to stand but got pulled back down. "You mad woman, we must alert someone."

"Look. We can find out his plans this way, I'm going to watch the scene so shut up." She pulled out her stele a drew a rune onto the barn wall, then using a second Clary had made to be able to hear sound from far away. "Oh my goodness..."

"Clary... That's what I came to tell you." Jocelyn suddenly attacked Luke like a child, "what happened to watching?"

"I hate you right now. Shut up."

She looked back at hole in the wall and they both fell silent. Inside, Sebastian was wearing casual clothes, as if he were laying around at home with nothing but video games-or weapons- to play with. In his arms was a limp Clary, only just waking from a potion Sebastian had shoved down her throat. The Seelie Queen stood opposite them, looking at Clary with uninterest. "Did you not receive my message?" She tilted her head, "I sent one approximately three hours after your departure of your little visit."

"No, my lady. I did not recieve any message, I must have been taking Clarissa at the time."

"Tsk. I don't want her anymore, research proves that she is far from helpful to me. Her runes are only made for good, even under your influence of Lilith's blood in her veins, she did not create but one rune, am I correct?"

"Yes, but-"

"But nothing. That little black haired shadowhunter, on the contrary, could become very handy indeed. So why don't you leave Clarissa here with me while you go and get the other one for me."

"I.. I'm afraid that's not possible." 

"And why not? Answer me."

They didn't hear Sebastian's response because the rune wore off. "Stupid rune!" Jocelyn quickly redrew it, "what? What happened to Alec?"

"Since when do you care so badly?" Luke looked at her confused.

"For the children's sake." Luke sighed.

"They're not children anymore."

"They'll always be children to us. Their parents. Admit it Luke, you feel the same."

"I do... Ok, stop arguing.. Hey, he's gone!"

T'was true, Sebastian had left and Clary was cowering from the Queen. "Draw me a rune of fear, child."

"I can't do these things on command." She winced as her hair was yanked at by a faerie soldier. "Well, it's true!"

"Too bad. I'll force it out of you if I have to."

"Never. Why do you need runes anyway? They don't work on you!"

"Shut up and go cry to your mommy. It's not hard to tell that's what you wish to do, or go to that blonde boy of yours. You two seem inseparable, as if joined by an invisible cord. Whereas your mother, and your new father, are listening to us right now. Isn't that uplifting?" The Queen raised a hand and their hidey hole became visible from the inside.

Clary was stunned. "Mom? Luke?" Too late though, Sebastian returned and grabbed Clary, pulling her up roughly. 

"I told you, I cannot bring the other one."

"So it is official?"

"Yes."

"Stupid, stupid nephilim! I will fight along your side nonetheless, but I shall only bring half my forces."

Sebastian nodded. "I will see you tomorrow afternoon then."

"Mom!" Clary screamed.

The Queen glared at her as Clary caught Sebastian by surprise and began running towards the wall. "Get her!" The Queen ordered and two guards immediately took hold of her.

"Hey!" Sebastian dashed over and pulled her away from them, "she's not yours, remember? You okay, Clary?" He whispered the last bit.

Clary frowned. Sebastian shook his head. Resumed his normal posture, stern face, and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

"That was so... Sudden." Jocelyn whispered, "I do hope nothing bad happens to my daughter... She's strong when she tries. I know she'll be just fine." 

"As are you." Luke patted her shoulder, "come on, sweetheart. Let's go back, staying here in the bushes doing nothing will not aid our chance of survival."

Jocelyn nodded and stood up, brushing the twigs and leaves off of her gear and smoothing out her hair. Hand in hand, they slowly walked back into Idris where all the hassle and fuss was still going on inside the hall, they could be heard from outside. They were both wondering how any shadowhunters were still alive because all they ever did was argue before battle and then train with mere hours to spare. Almost like a student before an exam or doing homework, leave it to the last minute and take the chance of having to pay the price.

The vampires were still in the black out building of the academy which was used to do training about fighting when almost blind or until the moment you die. They would play a great part in this fight since it will commence at sundown, when all the demons and vampires come out at noght, that's when things will get very messy. 

Luke sighed, he was clueless about what to do. Maia was right, training was boring but they both still had to or their life was on the line. This battle would be the battle of a lifetime for many, a bad day to die for others. He pitied those who would not make it, the children who may lose a parent, the parents who may lose a child, or the extinction of a family altogether.

It was sad, but life was tough on this side of humanity. And that was something everyone learned to live with. Eventually.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, guess I seriously didn't keep to that daily promise :/ (if I'm quite honest I barely use this site, I use wattpad instead. Same username if you want to find me!) ~Fiz


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: HUGE

"Alright!" The Inquisitor said into his microphone, "everyone please! Quiet down so we can get started."

It was midday, the battle was going to begin in a couple hours thanks to a sudden change of plans from Sebastian during the night. Everyone was gathered inside the Accords Hall with the windows boarded up so the vampires could be there too without burning to death. All of yesterday they had been practising with robots, dummies, targets and each other. It was tiring but all necessary for today. The vampires were unable to join until after sundown, making them one species short; but Sebastian had fewer demons during the day also, so they were both weakened for the worse. So perhaps if they were quick on getting Sebastian dead the night battle may not arrive and hundreds of lives would be saved. Though that was unlikely.

No one exactly showed any fear except some of the young people who had never fought in battle. Like before, they would use Clary's binding rune to share the powers of downworld. Warlocks were hardest since it took years of training to master magic but the quick healing came in handy, not needing to worry about having to hide to draw a quick iratze somewhere that you can't even reach.Everyone had their ups and downs but all in all their forces were stronger and gave them an advantage. 

If you happened to try and look for a pattern in the crowd, you would notice on rather obvious one. The couples. They all stood together in hope they would both make it through. Sure, there was the rune that could bring dead back to life as long as you got it on them within the first minute of death (this worked on downworlders but Sebastian and the Fay had no knowledge the rune even existed). But what if they got seperated and no one else did it for them? 

Then of course, there was Izzy, Jace, and Magnus, hidden at the back in the shadows. They had their own plan, in which only they and Simon knew of. They wouldn't participate in battle, they had what was to them, a far more important deed. The rest of the shadowhunters were rather stupid when it came to Sebastian; for he was smart and manipulative, whereas the shadowhunters....weren't. As Jace said, 'the Clave have the collective intelligence of a pineapple.' Was rather accurate.

During Alec's search, there was really only Maryse that also believed Sebastian would not be in battle, he would be off in a battle tower somewhere; in which Alec only-at the time- was being held. But of course, now Clary was there to. Far less time, but Sebastian now had their biggest weapon, but not their second. Jace was still here. Clary was the bait to lure Jace away, that bit was obvious. So they all hoped their friends and loved ones-that still remained- would live through the battle. It would be as before when Sebastian died the first time, all the demons would simply disappear.

"Understood, Herondale?" A voice said right in front of Jace's face.

"Inquisitor, don't get me started. I don't like you, and I wasn't listening anyway."

"Didn't think so." He spat, "so either leave, and prepare to die since you're so suicidal and don't know the current battle tactics. So please, bring Clary and go."

"I'm afraid I can't do that." He had hit Jace's weak spot, but his voice kept a confident one. 

"Stop being protective because we need her."

"Let me explain will you!? By the angel. Sebastian took her a couple nights ago, she was sick when he took her, but I'm near fully confident he healed her with magic and she is probably now sick in a different way. You wouldn't understand."

The inquisitor was shocked. No one ever spoke to him like that. "Well, I uh- that's unfortunate. Do you know the runes?"

"I know many. Could be a bit more specific, inquisitor." 

"Do not speak to me in that tone, Jonathan. I mean, the runes she has created in the past years."

"You didn't record them in the grey book? Rather stupid of you, isn't it? Not write down some of the most lethal runes ever created."

"Sebastian has the only copy."

"Idiots, all of you. But yes, I do."

"Come with me then. I need you to show us all." Jace sighed, "now."

~*~

Isabelle was watching her father from a distance, not wanting to tell him the good news yet. He wouldn't approve anyway. "Isabelle, darling." She tore her gaze away and saw her mum smiling, "you look angry. What's your father done now?"

"Being horrible about Alec and Clary, saying it's no wonder they're both captured, weak targets. And now I'm debating if I should bother telling him about Simon. Or if I should wait until battle is over, in case one of more of us don't pull through. Who knows what's in that tower..."

"You and Simon? Sounds complicated. You'll be fine sweety, we all will. All four of us. Fourth being Alec, not Simon, sorry. So uh- Raziel, forget I said anything."

"Simon is a good thing.. Not complicated at all."

"Oh?"

Hesitantly, Izzy raised her left hand to show her mum the ring. "Oh, Isabelle! It's georgous! Oh I'm so happy for you two!" She pulled her daughter into a tight hug and squeezed. "If I don't help plan the wedding, then I must be dead. Oh my gosh oh my gosh!"

"Mum! Calm down!" They both blushed a bright red, "don't need to tell everyone, though that would be nice. But still, no."

"You're mean! But, okay. I'll keep quiet. Who else knows?"

"No one, I haven't told anyone yet. I want to wait as you said, until this is all over so nothing happens that we don't expect."

An unexpected silence fell between the two, her mum was never one to end a conversation so abruptly; blaming it on nerves, they both shrugged simultaneously and left in seperate directions to find different people and simply; prepare.

~*~

Magnus had ignored the meeting completely, staying outside instead of listening to the whining and complaining of everyone, he was not in the mood for it. The sudden change in time had forced him to change tactic completely. He'd managed to create a plan he would carry out in time to find the others and aid in killing Sebastian. This was all assuming Alec was alive, there was no reason or explanation that he wouldn't. Magnus was more than certain Alec would be simply rather beaten. Like when he was with Luc, but that time has been forgotten by all but Magnus and Jace; poor Izzy never knew a thing.

Now, with two hours to spare, the warlock had to create a new plan or he would end up winging the whole thing and then everyone would probably end up dead because of him. His breathing began to quicken and his heart hurt, his legs turning to jelly and teeth gritting. Magnus was slowly growing paranoid and would end up in hysterics if his friend Lupin hadn't put a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Calm down, you'll give yourself a heart attack."

"Lupin.." Magnus sighed in relief, "I could use the company."

"Look, I know your plan has gone to hell so please, let me help."

"You're needed in battle, you can save many lives."

"What if... I bug into your conscience surroundings, then I can found out if help is needed?"

"No, Lupin. We don't need your help. And if we do well... I'll have Isabelle to rely on. Jace is portalling Clary home and I'll help Alec out. Then together we kill Sebastian, he can't kill us all at once. We'll be fine."

"What if Alec and Clary aren't? You have to take in all the possibilities. Even those you don't want to think of." Lupin removed his hand and sat in Magnus' lap. "You know which ones I mean."

"No. It's impossible, alright? Alec is not dead, and if you keep trying to convince me he is, you'll be the one who's dead."

"And my soul will imprison yours into the void until you end up killing yourself. Do you really want that?"

"Just because you're old and boring," Magnus flicked Lupin's head, "doesn't mean I care about your elderly consequences."

"You could be me one day."

"Only if Alec is by my side.." Lupin's ear perked up, "it would be nice."

"Magnus.. You know that's a terrible idea. It would probably kill you."

Magnus didn't respond. Instead, he turned his head in the direction towards the battle grounds. It was still quiet, an hour and a half to go until Magnus' plan and whatever all the other races had planned go into action until death or who knows how long. Magnus pitied those who would die, the majority don't deserve it. No one deserves to die really, everyone is kind deep down at heart. Even a demon like Sebastian. Not that Magnus liked him, no, he wanted him dead more than almost anything.

Jace came outside with the inquisitor with a grumpy expression. They were mumbling to each other and Jace tried to catch Magnus' eye but couldn't for he was looking the opposite way, as if oblivious to the two of them walking past, both with glum I-don't-want-to-be-near-you-right-now expressions. Jace clearly couldn't care less about the thousands of lives at risks if he didn't write down these runes, while the inquisitor could not be more ticked off at him for it.

Lupin watched them, his eyes narrowed at Jace, as if he had seen him once before, or heard a description of him from somewhere. Most likely from Magnus no doubt, why, he couldn't remember. His memory was a rather selective one. "I'm going to help if things go terribly wrong, whether you're conscious or not, I won't let your friends die." He kissed his cheek in a friendly manner, got up, and went back inside.

~*~

Half an hour later, Jace returned with fresh runes along his arms and a stele in another so he could share powers with Magnus that he wouldn't bother using anyway, but the healing would help keep him alive at least, magic was just far too complicated. Strength, agility... The list went on for what else he could use as an advantage. "Jace!" Isabelle called.

He turned and grinned, striding when he suddenly cried out in pain and collapsed forward, clutching at his chest. A sharp stroke of pain shot through him and he gasped, rolled onto his back and pressed down hard over where his heart was. "Jace!" She cried again and ran to him, kneeling beside. "What is it? Are you alright?"

"My..." He slid his hand under his tee slowly and quickly pulled it out. "My heart hurts. It's pounding, I'm hot, I think I'm..." He had to think of an excuse, fast. "Nervous. Paranoid. I don't know Izzy, this has never happened before."

"Oh Jace..." She sighed, "stay outside and we'll re-run through our plan."

"We have a plan?" He managed to slow his breathing and sit up shaking.

"Well, no, but it'll pass the time. Or do you want to train?"

"Both. Both is good." Isabelle nodded and helped pull him up.

Together they walked back outside and saw Magnus still sitting there alone. Jace wondered what had got him so worked up, he didn't have much to worry about. Did he? Jace didn't know, but his runes were playing up and acting strange. Jace sure hoped that was the answer, not what reality was screaming in his face. He knew putting the rune over his heart would hurt if broken, but damn it wasn't a fraction of the emotions that hit him; but telling the others was out of the question.

Isabelle stared at him with worry. Jace never got worked up over battle, his nerves never got to him so badly. Something was seriously wrong, but he was refusing to spill the beans. Perhaps he was hungry... For beans. Or just food, he hadn't eaten in about a day. "Jace, when did you last eat?"

"I had toast for breakfast.." He murmured, "I'm not hungry. I'm fine, really. Magnus just has a lot ahead of him." Magnus tensed.

"We all do. Us three, mum, Simon, Luke, everyone; no matter who's doing what, we're all putting our lives on the line. Now I'm sorry if that just sounds repetitive but it's true. There's one hour to go and all they're doing is arguing, we really need to hope our family make it through."

"I have no family.."

Izzy felt hurt by that comment. "You're a Lightwood in my eyes. You have a great brother and sister, our parents love you."

"You have parents to look out for. I have a brother to kill and a girlfriend to save. That is my duty Isabelle. And I won't let anyone get in the way of that. Sebastian is mine, and mine alone to kill. This. Is. Personal."

~*~

Clary scratched at the wooden floor, seeing how deep she could scratch before someone other than Sebastian and his demons come along. Sebastian was currently with Alec, doing who knows what. There wasn't much more he could do to him, as Sebastian described, Alec was 'no longer use to anyone'. But she preferred not to think about that. 

The meeting with the Seelie Queen had been a terrifying and nerve wracking experience. Drugged and then waking up alone with her, it wasn't pleasant. The fact that she had changed her mind about Clary and wanted Alec instead was strange, how was Alec more worthy of her time? What could he do that she couldn't? Her mind couldn't think of anything, but apparently there were plenty of reasons.

Sebastian returned into the room with a very moody expression. "Sebastian?"

"Shut it." He snapped at her.

That was another thing. Sebastian had twice acted kind towards her for mere seconds before snapping back. One with the queen, the other before they left, telling her about the potion. If this was a sign of some goodness breaking through, she still wouldn't love him. Not after everything that has happened. Especially to Alec. What exactly did he hate about the Lightwoods so much? They were lovely people, all unique in their own way. Even if Clary had only met Robert Lightwood a few times, he still seemed nice. But Luke was better.

She hoped her mum was okay. After seeing her in the barn, that was a shock. Why didn't she do anything to help? Just stare at her doing nothing? Luke too! She felt disobeyed, dishonoured, hurt. Her own mother did nothing to help her only child. Hopefully she told someone, anyone but the Clave would do nicely.

A slap to the face made her snap back to the current time. Sebastian was kneeling in front of her, glaring right at her with his black hole eyes that seemed to suck out any happy life source like a deatheater from Harry Potter; though Sebastian probably didn't even know what or who that even was. "Sister."

"What?" Clary glared back, trying to match.

"It's your fault everything went wrong. It's your fault my plan is ruined!" His voice rose and rose with every word. 

"No it wasn't! It was your own damn fault for what happened to Alec you monster."

"He did it to himself. I just slowed the process down so he could think about what he'd done. Interfering like that."

"So you're going to take your anger out on me? Gee, thanks."

"Shut up!" Sebastian undid the zipper on his trousers, "now I'm going to do what I've been waiting to do."

Clary stared in horror. "No..."

"Now you will pay..."

~*~

Twenty minutes to go. Everyone was now making their way over to the battle field. The argument inside had finished when Lupin had gone back inside, people were then exchanging bonding runes with a partner of another race. Others were mingling and the rest were putting on more runes for themselves. All in all, people had finally got their act together and had started to actually get ready for the battle ahead.

Outside, children were saying goodbye to their parents and older siblings for they would be going to the underground evacuation area that had been built a few years ago. It was safer down there since all the houses in Idris were right next to where the battle took place, and who knows what might happen if a demon or fey manages to get into the city and go on a killing spree. Nothing good, that's what.

Isabelle was with her parents so Magnus and Jace stood together in the background since they had no one of great importance to say good luck to. In Jace's eyes, good luck sounded like you didn't believe they would live so you wished them luck that they somehow would. So he always said nothing, because then in that way you believe they'll be fine so there's no need for false encouragement. 

Robert gave Isabelle a hug. "I don't like vampires, but as long as you're happy baby girl. I bet your mother is hyped over the wedding."

"Yeah!" She giggles and hugged him back.

"I'm positioned near the front, so I promise I'll see you once this is all over, your mother too. Good luck sweethearts." He kissed her forehead and gave Maryse a soft and sweet kiss on the lips.

"We may fight, but I still love you." Maryse said and touched his cheek, "see you soon."

Isabelle sighed and hugged her mum, "be safe out there. I wish you were both on our rescue mission, it's so much safer."

"I'll be saving others while I'm out there, not just myself. Don't you worry, we'll be fine." Isabelle nodded and gave her another hug before letting go and walking over to the guys.

They all shared glances and nodded. Turning away from the crowd and walking towards the woods. It was time. There was no turning back now, it was now or never.

~*~

Lined up and ready. The shadowhunters and downworlders stood mixed together in a large block, taking up the entire field. Weapons drawn. Attack stances and defence at the ready. Everyone on high alert.

There were mere minutes to go before everything kicked off. Robert and his partner were first in line to attack. If the demons didn't make a starting move, then they would. Every moment wasted standing around was a moment more demons could appear from wherever Sebastian was having them portaled through. Demons were far stronger at night, so why start the battle just after when the sun is at its fullest. Less demons to fight and the good guys were missing every single invited vampire clan.

Two minutes and counting. The ground shook beneath them as Fey began to emerge from the ground, as if they were liquids turning back to their solid state. That was how they always appeared when wanting to be subtle, but when there's hundreds of them it wasn't so easy to do so. 

Inbetween each one was at least two demons or varied species. From Shax to eidolon, from clavarks to Vraslasa. Each one varying in difficulty and time taken to defeat one. Getting outnumbered on one could be easy, whereas as too little of another can be a very bad or very good sign, depends on how long people have been fighting for. They knew they were in for a long one this time, because they don't know it was all up to Jace, Isabelle and Magnus to finish this once and for all.

The clock tower in the center struck two. Dong. The sound echoed over the plain, echoing off the trees. Dong. Everything was silent. People could hear their own and others' heartbeats in their blood rushed heads, the thrill and nerves beginning to get to everyone. With a loud screech, a demon raised its thorned tail and darted forward. The shadowhunters replied with their own cry and ran forward, weapons raised and armour on.

The battle, had begun.

~*~

(Fun fact: I was going to originally end the chapter there but I came up with a far worse cliffhanger for you guys.)

The cries of the shadowhunters echoed throughout the forest like lost souls in a graveyard. It wasn't a pleasant sound but not an unfamiliar one to the two shadowhunters. They had stayed on the border of the plain, waiting for the battle to begin while Magnus had ran ahead.

Jace had forgotten his earlier nerves and was now focused on the task ahead, get in, save Clary, kill Sebastian, get out and help finish off the battle. It seemed simple, but everything is easier said than done. Jace refused to let Izzy aid him in killing Sebastian. Sure, last time he wouldn't have been able to without her help but Clary's life wasn't at stake last time. Well- "Jace snap out of it!" Izzy hissed over the cries of battle.

"Sorry, just remembering the last time we killed him by that river."

"Well stop it. That was then, this is now. If you're this unfocused while we're in there, you will definitely die. No doubt about it."

"Thank you, for the confidence boost." 

Isabelle rolled her eyes. "We need to go, who knows what's happening or how long we have until someone we know close to us dies! Either in there, or out fighting with everyone else." She stood and tightened her grip on her whip.

Jace nodded and stood also, pulling out one of his weaker seraph blades, saving his best for Sebastian. Special treatment as he had decide to call it at that exact moment. He pushed his fringe from his face and began walking towards the battle tower.

It was large. Very large, with no doubt a good three layers of basement. A tower protruded from the back of the building, going high up what looked like into the clouds but was a simple magic trick. They only knew this place existed because Magnus had stripped the glamour for them a couple days ago, it was extremely energy draining but he seemed to have recovered fully since. The wall was covered in moss and ivy, broken windows everywhere with no light inside them, but the front doors were wide open as Magnus had promised he would leave them like so.

There were no demons on guard which piqued Jace's curiosity. "Get your witchlight out, I don't trust anything right now." Isabelle nodded and held hers up, illuminating a small area around her and partially inside.

After a couple deep breaths, the two of them walked inside.

~*~

Clary screamed in absolute agony as Sebastian ripped through her virginity barrier with the force of a herd of stampeding elephants. The pain shaking her entire numb body. It had gone numb not long after Sebastian tightened her cuffs and literally, ripped her clothes off which now lay in a pile outside the door, which, stood at were numerous demons. Watching.

They'd been watching her for about ten minutes now, taking in her body as if she were a delicious meal or a free slut they were waiting in line for. The latter, was sadly true, but Clary didn't know that. After the Seelie Queen changed her mind about wanting her, Sebastian grew angry and did what he'd been waiting to do for seven years.

"Strike while she's defenceless, get the best out if it while she lasts." That's what the queen said, not as if his anger was already high thanks to Alec ruining his plans completely. He had played a large part in the end, but something deep down made him think otherwise. Course, he ignored it since Clary's screams and gasps and tears were pleasurably distracting him.

Like kind men, they stay still to allow their girl to adjust, but no. This was Sebastian, he couldn't care much less about her pain. He never did. He wanted pleasure, and if it were not day of battle, extra items would be used, a lot like Alec had. 

After a good long while-good for Sebastian- he pulled out and shot all over her chest and face. He hated her, but he'd rather not be the father of his sister's child. But he didn't stop there, oh no. Clary, breathless, had just about stopped crying from the pain, and Sebastian found it annoying. He kissed her deeply, digging in his nails painfully to force her to kiss back. It was strange though, he tasted of pepper mint and... Leather?

Until later on, that was all she remembered, because she had refused to kiss back at all since all his nails did was increase the numbness, so he slapped her across the face with a blinding force. Clary had then punched him back, which only made him angrier, receiving multiple kicks to the ribs. "I'd kill you," he spat," but I need you alive." Kicking her once more,-in the face- she had slowly blacked out and another demon entered inside her.

~*~

Sebastian now stood in a tall tower where all the mechanisms sat. One pull of a lever would send the whole base up in flames. He just needed to wait for Jace to find him, he knew he would.

Out the small window he could see him and Isabelle approaching the entrance three floors down, not long after Magnus had come running and killed the three Shax demons that awaited him in one blow. Bit of a shame, but expected. An easy entrance for the other two, putting them on guard mode. What a shock Magnus would receive upon finding Alec, hopefully he would live to see the result. What? Of course I'll live! Sebastian thought, realising he was considering actual defeat again.

They disappeared inside, fear and determination clear on their faces, even from a distance. Into the fortress they went, their seraph blades drawn and glowing a bright icy blue. 

~*~

It was dark. They pulled out their witchlight and began to inspect each room. Some full of weapons, others empty bedrooms. "Jace, where do you-" a scream cut Isabelle off mid-sentence. She found it somewhat familiar, but Jace paled to white as snow.

He took off at a run, Isabelle not far behind. The screams increased in length and volume "Get off me you demonic bastard!" The voice shouted, quieter, as if giving up against their will.

Rounding the next corner, two demons stood outside a door. Took one look at the shadowhunters, and ran off! Probably to tell Sebastian of their presence but knowing him, he probably already knew. Plus they found the unwanted trade, which wasn't planned. "I hope you all ro-" it cut off abruptly.

Jace gasped, ran to the door and kicked it open. It swung open and hit the wall with a loud crash, making the demon inside let go of Clary. It hissed and pounced, fangs outstretched. Jace ducked, the demon hitting the corridor wall face first. Again, ready to pounce, Isabelle flicked her wrist, her gold whip wrapping round its neck; and with a yank, ripped its head clean off. It bounced a couple times before dissolving to ashes along with the rest of its body. "Clary!" Jace cried, running over to her naked body.

"Jace...?" Clary whispered, rolling over to face him, "is that really you?" Half her face was covered in blood as if she'd been lying in a shallow puddle of it.

He knelt beside her and smelt burning. Her wrists and ankles were bound with demonic cuffs, her flesh sizzling and bleeding underneath them. Using his stele, he quickly burnt off the runes keeping them on her. "What happened? Are you okay? Not too badly hurt?" She didn't respond. "Here." He pulled his shirt off and careful slipped it over her head, "wear this. Bit of protection and privacy for you." She tried smiling but decided against it.

She made an attempt of sitting up but her wrists failed her and she fell back with a thump. Jace kneeled and scooped her up like a baby, cradling her to his chest rather tightly and secure. "It's okay now. You're safe. We're going to portal out of here, okay? To safety." Tears threatened his eyes. Clary was weak and pale.

She nodded in response. "Isabelle!" Magnus' voice echoed around the room, silencing them all. "Isabelle! Cell 13 on the second basement level! HURRY!!!"

Isabelle glanced at Jace and Clary, "see you at the end. Be safe." And then she ran off without another word.

~*~

Once Magnus had arrived he knew approximately where to go thanks to the hairclip Alec hadn't stopped wearing, even after six years. Although he himself wasn't much better, his life still a mess; better than it was though. Chairman was forced to learn to feed himself by taking whatever Magnus had bothered to magic up in the fridge or cupboards, if he was lucky, real cat food would be waiting in his bowl. He lacked behind in work, missed meetings, not eating often enough and even three suicide attempts. To his defence, he claims the first was accidental.

He was at a club, getting rather drunk a couple years ago on a 5th floor balcony. Alone, he had looked over the edge and remembered Alec, then how drunk he was. He knew jumping would result in his death. He couldn't remember a happy world without Alec with him, so what did it matter if he jumped? No family to miss, not exactly many friends and the little nephilim had probably moved on by then. 

By this point, he was already sitting on the railing, swaying to his own thoughts, counting up all the pieces of misery. Chairman would get over him in time, he had Church to be with since they were now somehow technically together. A gay cat, who would've thought?

In the end, he decided it would be best to say goodbye first, to those close anyway. He didn't want to hurt the poor Nephilim, though part of him hoped if he had moved on, he would still be missed a little. But Magnus was already falling, quickly gaining speed towards the ground.

But from sheer luck, a group of about ten confused werewolves caught him. He blacked out as he landed in their net of arms, and woke in his bed later the following day wearing a red rubber bracelet. A suicide watch bracelet.

In all truth, he deserved it. That's what you for attempting suicide, even if accidental.

His thoughts were broken as he walked straight into some demon energy filled bars, a jolt of electricity making him shiver because of it. He jumped back and looked at them, "cells." Magnus said aloud. He looked up, trying to find the number of it, "three." 

A blue flame grew in his hand, using it as a torch to look inside since the dull glow of witch lights made everything inside shadow; the cells looking like bottomless black pits. Each one seemed to have one single high window that someone of even Magnus' height would have trouble looking out of, even on tip-toes. But he was underground, so what exactly was the point of their existence? Magnus couldn't even begin to guess to strange possibilities.

Going down a flight of stairs, he walked along and saw a shape in the far corner of number thirteen. "Alec?" He brightened the flame, illuminating the entire cell. It was indeed Alec, but something was wrong. "Alec!" He cried and melted the door, dashing in and over to kneel beside him.

The floor was sticky, making his shoes squelch. It looked like blood but Magnus couldn't bring himself to think of something so awful. But the look and smell of it matched like a pair of identical twins; meaning, Alec was far from well and healthy and most likely on his knees begging at Death's doorstep.

He was still. His shirt nowhere to be found, hid trousers had a broken zip and hung loosely on his hips; his feet were bare and raw. His hands terribly burnt, brown and cracked to reveal blood underneath trying to get out. His back was covered in in long red lines, obviously where numerous whippings had taken place. The rest of his body..: bruises, scratches, scrapes, burns and numerous deep cuts were scattered. But that wasn't what scared Magnus most, something else, something vital. He was pale. Pale like a vampire. Thin. Thin enough to see his ribcage and virtually hollow stomach... Which wasn't moving. But being so thin, that could easily be something wrong. Right? To make sure, Magnus listened for breathing and put two fingers on his neck and chest, and waited. And waited. But no beat came. 

Alec was dead. 

"No...." Magnus whispered, "no!" Tears started to fall down his cheeks like mini waterfalls. "This can't be possible!" He took hold of Alec's shoulder and pulled gently to roll him onto his back.

In the glow of the blue flame his face was expressionless, white as a ghost. His eyes were shut, his lips firmly shut, hair fine as a pin. There was no sign of life to be found in him, and his death was most certainly slow and painful.

Cradling his limp body in his arms, he held him close. Unable to take in the truth. Why him? Magnus' last words to him were "I don't want to talk, Alexander, so go and leave me alone. I said I never wanted to see you or your shadowhunter friends again." Everything being wrong in those words, one giant lie they had both been living. He bumped into him at a demon attack in upper Manhattan three years ago. 

Now, six years since the break up, (except of course, the time that Alec has forgot) after hearing his disappearance, he thought that perhaps it was time he apologised and see if the Nephilim would take him back because he obviously still felt the same way three years ago. Magnus would do anything for him, even take his immortality away if he still wanted, or perhaps give him immortality which was more dangerous but it would mean forever with each other. Perhaps a child or two?

But wait... There was one thing to save Alec. He had a sudden flashback to Valentine's ship. Alec had given him some of his energy to stop him from passing out, and now he could give it back. Meaning Alec would live, but Magnus may not depending how much he was left with. Alec deserved a life, a shadowhunter life with someone better than a downworlder like himself. Magnus was 807, he'd lived many times over while Alec was a mere 23 with his birthday in three months. So young, he deserved none of this. 

He took a deep breath and entwined their fingers together, beginning to return his life. "Isabelle!" He shouted, "Isabelle! Cell 13 second floor basement, HURRY!!!" He had to let her know, or Alec would die. Again. Then maybe Magnus would live and be unable to save his life again.

It was only a few minutes before the dizziness kicked in. If Alec didn't wake soon then they would- "M-Magnus...?" Alec opened his eyes a fraction, his voice dry and quiet.

"Alec!" Magnus screamed in joy, "listen to me, Alexander." Back to a serious tone. "I am giving all the energy I have to make sure you can live the rest of your life. You must be strong so you do not die twice. Call for Izzy, she's on her way down to come get you. Leave me here." He paused, blinking away his fading vision. "I'm sorry for everything I did, just remember... Don't let go of me okay? And if I die, I want you to know that I still-" but Alec couldn't hear the last two words for they were too quiet for him to hear.

"Still what?" He whispered, lifting his head and seeing Magnus' eyes closed. "Magnus!?" He immediately let go of his hands, refusing to let him die because of him. "Izzy!" He called out for his sister, "Izzy, please hurry!"

"Alec!?" Isabelle shouted back, sounding rather nearby. "I'm coming! Are you okay!? Where's Magnus!?"

Alec didn't reply, both questions hurt too much to answer without having an emotional breakdown. He simply curled round Magnus, his closed wounds reopening, but he didn't care because he missed the feeling of the two of them touching. Magnus just gave up his life for him, at least, that's what would happen if help didn't arrive quickly. There was only Isabelle and Magnus that he knew of, how could she take them both? Right, she couldn't.

He couldn't cry now, he needed all the energy Magnus gave him to help get them both out safely. Isabelle needed extra help when there wasn't any, but now he didn't care if he died on the way out. Wasn't he meant to stay dead anyway? He just wanted to keep Magnus alive. The thing that stuck in his mind though, was all the possibilities of those last two words could be: love, like, despise, and the second word might not have even been you, he could've simply wanted to state a simple fact, like "I still hate Robert," or, "I still like rabbits." "Alec! You alright in there?" 

Alec turned himself and Magnus to look at his sister through the bars. "Help..." He looked down at Magnus, "take him, I'll follow."

"But..." Tears welled in her eyes as she walked over and kneeled. "Alec.. I'm sorry but you're more important right now. We can come back for him!"

"You don't understand!" He sat up sharply and winced, "I'll explain back home. Now take him or we'll all die down here because I refuse to go without him."

She grimaced at his words but silently put an arm round Magnus' waist and pulled him up. "Be safe, big brother... Don't make Jace and I lose another one." Then she left, half dragging, half carrying Magnus with her.

~*~

"Is there anyone home?" Clary asked, sitting on a stool while Jace drew a portal, "or are you coming with me?"

"I'm coming." He finished and stood back, "to the institute. It's not safe in Idris and I don't trust what Sebastian has planned, come on," he turned round to find her gone. "Clary?"

"Jace!" She shouted from the corridor, "I don't have a weapon!"

Jace dashed out, spying a demon carrying her over her shoulder, one of their tails extended, "Clary look-" its tail struck her in the back, her body falling limp. "Out..." He pulled out his seraph blade and shouted "Ithuriel!" The blade bursting with light and practically screamed death to all demons.

Walking closer to the stairs it disappeared up, suddenly numerous demons jumped out, blocking Jace's path. With a screech, three darted straight for him, claws outstretched. With a yell Jace ran forward and stabbed the first one right through the heart, quickly moving to the next. Leaping off the wall and slicing their heads in two, demon ichor flying everywhere and all over Jace's bare chest, but he ignored it and threw one of his many daggers at another oncoming demon, slicing its foot clean off. It tripped, Jace taking the opportunity to kill that one too in a flash.

Thirteen or so demons later, he could finally run up the spiral staircase. This was most likely the tower at the back of the base which you could see from quite a distance if you tore off the extreme glamor. Jace knew that Sebastian was waiting for him, using Clary to bring him there. He probably planned for the demons to wait while Jace had his back turned since everyone knew he would follow her anywhere. Even to death if the possibility was ever forced upon them both, knowing Clary would do the same no matter how much he would protest.

The door at the top was in shreds, Sebastian behind it, shouting at the demon who took Clary in their language, however the girl was nowhere to be seen from his angle. Stepping through the gap, he drew a silence rune on his arm and stepped inside. Getting behind Sebastian, he lifted the blade and jabbed him in the spine, targeting his heart from behind.

But that was too easy. Way too easy. His body fell forward and rolled onto his back to reveal a plain face. No eyes, mouth, nose, nothing. A plain face of pale skin. As for the demon, it had disappeared, seemingly vanished into thin air. "You really thought I would be that easy to kill?" Sebastian asked from behind," a simple knife to the back like you did seven years ago?" He scoffed. "Amusing."

Jace spun, but only the door-still in shreds- was there. "I assume you came to kill me, then be the hero and somehow save Clary from wherever I have put her?" Now from above, "that's adorable, little brother."

"Show yourself bastard!" Jace shouted.

"You used to love hide and seek. Been playing since you met my sister, don't tell me your old habits die hard? Shame." To the right, but still nothing. "How much more stupid could you get? How have you survived this long? You Herondales are so wreckless. Just look left, smart ass."

There he was. Leaning on a piece of machinery. One hand holding a very long blade, the other on a lever, quite threateningly too. "Found me. Don't you feel proud? Anyway, down to business, little brother. See this lever?" He motioned his head to his hand," this, will send this entire base up in flames and this tower will crumble beneath our feet. Unless of course," he grinned, "you surrender? Only your word will make me, screw your Inquisitor and the Clave. Am I right?"

"That is correct, but what makes you think you're any better? You know fully well I'd rather go down with a fight."

"Think about it, little brother, I, am far more powerful than your puny race. With my demon blood and my copy of the mortal cup that you happily gave to me, remember? I have the power of demon and shadowhunter, along with some dark magic that I just might've used on Alec a few times." Silence. "Okay, a lot. But he's dead now, surely you noticed your own parabatai dead? Felt a shiver? A slight cut across your chest as the bond broke? No? Too busy doing... What exactly?"

"That, would be obvious. Tracking you down and practising for this stupid battle."

"Funny. You find this battle stupid? No surprise there, really, no? Pretty sure if Clary was ready, you'd be doing something... Different, with my sister?"

"What are you talking about?"

Sebastian rolled his eyes. "Look up." He pressed a switch that opened the ceiling above, revealing an unconscious Clary lying on a chain metal net. 

"Let me explain, I know you, Jonathan. You won't advance on me." Jace scoffed. "My initial plan was to use her as trade for making sure I had full forces of the Fey on my side. But, earlier today I went to take her but the Queen had decided down on it. All that planning... All that magic to get into the institute and out in a flash... Wasted!" He kicked a random cardboard box across the room to express his anger, "but not to worry too much. I preferred plan B; or, as I call it, FCKC."

"So C for Clary, K for kill and F?"

"What do you think? Come on, you were a lot smarter last time I saw you, little brother. Last time we had a proper chat anyway, but still. Surely it's obvious?"

Jace paused for a moment and really considered what he meant. He found Clary wearing nothing, her clothes in rags and she was lying in a pool of her own blood.... He gasped and glared at Sebastian as he chuckled. "No wonder she doesn't love you." 

"Course she doesn't, that was purely an act. You fell for it pretty well." Jace held his blade in two hands, tightening his grip. "I see your impatience. But good luck getting to me before I burn her to death with a press of this button."

Jace charged and missed Sebastian completely, puncturing a pipe that began releasing hot air into the small confined room. 

The fight was on.

With a growl, Sebastian grabbed the back of Jace's head and slammed it against the pipe, burning his face. Jace gave him a hard kick to the ribs and slipped from his grip as it loosened slightly and tried to get a hit with his blade in but Sebastian was too quick and stopped it halfway.

The steam made it hard to see or breathe rather quickly, Jace's brow gleaming with sweat while Sebastian seemed fine thanks to being half demon who lived in the depths of Hell itself. But both fighting just as strong, when the floor suddenly shook beneath their feet. "Bad idea, Jonathan! You stopped her death but now I won't go so easy as I kill you!"

"You did not just pull that lever, Sebastian!" He darted for him again and almost cut his blade hand clean off but missed as Sebastian whirled round.

Jace cursed and darted back into the steam, knowing his silence rune was still working and could use this to his advantage to creep up behind him. He just needed a plan and fast. "Jonathan!" Sebastian cooed, "where are you little brother? Enough hiding, come out and fight like a good boy."

Sneaking up behind, he lifted his blade, "oh grow up!" He cried and brought it down and cut a deep gash in Sebastian's strong arm.

Within a heartbeat, Sebastian had whirled round and stabbed Jace in the hip, right through. Jace gasped, and felt his grip weaken, noticing something strange. He avoided every major artery, so if he got out quick, he just might live. "Nice try." Sebastian spat as he twisted the blade inside him.

They both heard a rattle and saw a flash of orange. Before anything could be done, Jace threw his weapon in the air above him. "De ja vu, big brother. Except this time." He took a shaky breath, "you won't be coming back!" Sebastian looked confused and pulled his blade out, looking back up.

"What do you- AAARRR-" Sebastian cut off abruptly as Clary landed on his shoulders and used Jace's blade to cut his head clean off.

"Jace!" She cried, not caring about Sebastian's head currently rolling round the now shaking room. "Oh my Raziel, Jace, are you okay?"

"I got stabbed in the hip." He groaned and almost collapsed if it weren't for Clary who caught him with a loud cry of pain. "Go without me. This place will collapse beneath our feet and I'm done for."

"Yeah, like that will ever happen. I'd carry you if I could but please, for me. Just stand up and lets get out of here. Or we'll burn to death if what you say doesn't happen first!"

She hooked an arm round his waist and put his round her shoulders. Reluctantly, he stood with shaking legs. But before they could take a step, the floor began to crumble beneath them. "Clary!" Jace shouted over the noise and pulled her on top of him as they fell.

He wrapped his arms tightly round her tiny waist as she did the same back, holding each other, preparing for death. Falling three floors, Jace had his eyes open as he saw everything crumble above them, the sight horrific but it only lasted a few seconds as he threw Clary off him just before he landed, flat on his back as he curled up and practically embraced the rocks that crushed him.

Clary rolled across the floor in the main hallway and slowly came to a stop. Looking around she noticed everything slowly starting to burn, from the curtains to the chandeliers, somehow, everything was alight. "Jace..." She murmured and looked back at the stairwell where a large pile of rocks now sat. "Jace!" She scrambled up and ran over and began shoving them out the way.

A little voice in her head told her to give up, he was dead, just like Alec, but that wasn't possible. Jace never died, and if he did, he'd find a way to come back. But the expression on his face said different. He was alive and breathing, just about. His eyes were closed and his arm twisted at a strange angle, a small rock digging into his stab wound, probably infecting it as Clary stared in horror.

Without another thought, Clary had a sudden burst of adrenaline in her arms and legs. She picked Jace up in a breeze, his head and arm tipping from the gravity. She ran, ran like the wind-literally- towards the open door and over a giant hole in the floor. She thought she could see a flash of black through the hole, inbetween the flames and under the rocks; but her mind was too set on getting them both out. Alive.

The doors already open, she dashed out and took a deep breath of air, which turned into a cough thanks to all the fumes. Her vision was blurred as she recollected her senses. Distantly, a voice called her name and some other jumbled works she couldn't fathom. Jace was becoming heavy so she had to almost drop him onto the ground to relieve herself. 

Moments later, everything became clear and she almost screamed in shock; her mouth wide open but no sound coming out. Through a gap in the trees, shadowhunters were back to back with downworlders, fighting off demons of numerous shapes and sizes. She wondered how the demons were fighting in daylight, but her mind soon drifted to Izzy sat on the ground. "Izzy?" She glanced down at Magnus who's head was in her lap, "Magnus?" Then to Jace, "Jace..." She sat down.

Izzy was clearly crying though Clary seemed to have not noticed. "Clary..." She looked up, "did you see Alec? My brother, where is he?"

Clary shook her head. "I'm sorry Izzy... I didn't. There's a reason too.."

"He's not dead!"

"Yes, he is. Sebastian wouldn't stop shouting it while he.. He.."

"No. Magnus was down there, when I arrived Alec was alive and Magnus unconscious! He made me bring him up and he would follow... I need to go back for him!"

"The place is falling apart, burning and crumbling as we speak."

"No! Alec is alive! I'll go, you watch the guys. Keep Jace as well as possible. I can't bear losing another brother, and perhaps both if I don't hurry up!"

"There's no need." Said an unfamiliar British voice.

The girls turned their heads and saw an extremely tall warlock with red hair as bright as rubies, in an emo haircut like Alec's was when he couldn't be bothered to go to a barber's. The girls had never seen him before in their lives. "Give this to your friend, it will help keep him alive. Magnus will be fine." He looked down at the warlock and looked rather proud. "I'll get your brother." Without another word, he handed a blue vile of liquid to Clary and walked into the burning building.

~*~

"Maryse!" Luke howled, shoving demons out of his path, "Maryse!"

"I'm busy, Lucian!" She threw a dagger at an eidolon, jumping to the left to dodge another demon's attack.

"The Fay have retreated and the demons are not returning! And there are many casualties."

"Save the dead for later. How many demons left?" Luke pounced on one to aid a warlock, "because I'd like the casualties from this point to be 0!"

"Couple hundred. And you won't like who's dead. I especially don't." Luke whimpered and ran off to aid some young shadowhunters on death's doorstep.

Luke was right, it only took a matter of minutes to finish off the last couple hundred demons, the Fey only a pale speck in the distance, hopefully to never be seen again. Maryse was exhausted, panting, and injured. She probably dislocated something but suddenly became interested in her surroundings. Hundreds had survived but hundreds had died. Luke was human again, wearing only torn shorts and was sat beside three bodies. 

She decided to leave him and whoever had died in peace, going in search of her husband. Robert and Maryse had fought lots recently, were planning on a divorce but were interrupted by the battle. Only now, did she realise, that she still loved him deep down and wanted to make sure he was okay. "Robert!" She called out, wandering to where he was posted at the start, "Robert!" She hoped he was merely unconscious or being unresponsive for casualty reasons.

But then there he was. Lying in a ditch in the trees, one arm bent backwards and a large wound in his lower back. The blood was already almost dry, a burnt crimson colour; he must've died a while ago for this to have happened. The battle had been short, a mere five hours, the sun setting over the trees creating a scene of what should be happiness.

Robert, was dead. Maryse knelt down beside him and stroked his cheek. Tears ran lightly down her cheeks, not as upset as she had quiet expected to be, which lightened the blow to heart a little. She had no idea where Isabelle was, or whether Alec was alright, she could well be truly alone. Husband and children gone, all thanks to one boy who had better be dead or the issue would now become personal for her, and her alone.

"I'm sorry for your loss..." Said a random warlock from behind, she thanked him. "I know your feeling all too well, but at least you have your children." She faked a smile, because he clearly had no idea but a calming thought nonetheless.

"Maryse," Luke came up behind, his voice sounding choked. "We have to return to Alicante. We can say goodbye to our wives... And husbands later. Maybe we'll see the children... As Jocelyn would say."

"Is,.. Jocelyn okay?" She turned and looked up at him, pity in her eyes, "your clan? Group? Whatchamacallits?"

"Three dead.. I haven't found Jocelyn yet, but three of mine gone.."

"I'm sorry to hear, who were they?"

"Sam, Maia, and Jordan. They were the best of friends. Well, Maia and Jordan were a bit more but he does protecting her, she died protecting Sam and Sam was unfairly outnumbered. They were all honourable deaths.." Silence fell over them as they mourned. "I'll see you at Alicante, I have to find my wife."

"Goodbye.." Luke left and Maryse turned back to Robert. "Ave atque vale... Look after Max for us." Then she stood up, and left.

~*~

Alec could claim he was blind and could get approval of it. He had managed to drag himself up the stairs in the basement but still had this floor and upstairs to go until he reached freedom. But everything was dark and eery, next thing he knows, his cell explodes and he's thrown against the wall from the blast. Everything was now on fire, all the cells blown to bits, but since he was underground, escape was impossible and the windows turned out to show nothing but a lamp that changed colour and brightness en suit with the sun and moon. If Alec had still been in that cell-alive- then he would certainly be dead now.

His arm broke from the impact, but it seemed a lot less painful than it should have been, Sebastian had shown him what true pain was, this seemed like a pin prick. Magnus' energy was slowly running out and Alec still had far to go yet, but he wouldn't give up for his sake and Izzy's. Little did he know that if he did die, Izzy could very well lose both her brothers since Jace had been stabbed through the hip.

It occurred to him that he had no idea or had any sense of time. Had it been days? Weeks? How long was he dead? That was the more important question, and who knew? He hadn't told Izzy anything, he probably never would. It was just him, Sebastian and demons in the wretched castle- as far as he knew. Clary had been in a similar state, nearing death but not the cowardice to kill herself.

That's what he was, Alec thought, a coward. A coward who couldn't keep enough hope in his heart to stay alive. Clearly, he was selfish and didn't care that his family would miss him if he died, that Izzy would have no biological brothers, she'd be an only child for the rest of her life. There was already no one left to carry on the Lightwood name, and Alec didn't want it anyway. But he still felt rather hurt that he had no last name, he belonged to no one. He had no purpose to exist, a waste of space, he would probably die in battle anyway, so why not speed up the process?

Alec walked into a wall. That, Alec thought, that's how I'll speed the process up, brain damage. It wasn't smart. A loud rumble shook the ground and a large hole appeared behind Alec's feet, the stone falling away, forcing him to jump out of its path to avoid falling down with it. It was a long feat and he tripped over a small rock but he managed to escape. "Stairs.." He murmured to himself, seeing them just ahead, engulfed in flames but there nonetheless.

He started to run, not wasting any time, looking up, through the flames he thought he saw Clary carrying someone almost twice her size. He managed to convince himself that was a stupid idea, what would Clary being doing here? And the only body she could possibly carry was Sebastian's, and in no way ever would she ever do that. Really, why?

Suddenly Alec stopped, having an epiphany. If the roof in front of him just fell, and he just got over it, only just. Then that must mean- crash!

Alec thought too long. He looked up and saw the cracks in the ceiling. Lifted one foot, tried to run but got crushed under the rocks. They came down with a roar like thunder and buried his entire body. One hand stood out to the side but he couldn't move it, all feeling in his body was gone, nothing hurt, it was as if he had died again. Maybe he had, everything was black and he could only hear white noise, the cracking of the fire surrounding him and the pitter patter of... Footsteps?

They were coming from above, but from far away, slowly coming closer. Alec had lost hope again, thinking it was time to die. Time to leave this planet, leave the pain behind and go live with his brother up above in eternal happiness where nothing could go wrong. Up there he would be safe, not crushed by rocks, whimpering as his life slowly slipped away from every bone in his body, his brain being the only survivor.

A large pressure landed on his chest all of a sudden and Alec screamed in agony, life returning to his veins for a brief moment. Rocks and pebbles were moved off of his face and he shut his eyes tighter. He was dreaming, he was dead already, this was an angel coming to help him leave his body as a spirit. 

Since when did Alec believe in that anyway? He truly was going mad. No, he opened his left eye a fraction to see a shadowed figure bending over him, shoving the boulders off his body to free him. "Can you walk?" Asked a British accent, it sounded faint from all the background noise. Alec wheezed. "You're going to live, so don't give up hope again." 

Slowly and painfully, his body was freed the gravel mess and was picked up like a bride being carried by her newly wed, pulled close to the warlock's chest and held with a tight grip. The warlock jumped up and landed safely on the ground floor, just about avoiding a small flame that had just started growing. Alec could feel the outside breeze on his cheek, he turned his head and could see outside. 

Outside, Alec thought, it seems like a dream. The purple and pink in the sky were clear, he kept focused on the ground though, hoping to see familiar feet when he got outside since he had no energy to look up. His eyes felt heavy, but he refused to go until he got outside, staying alive on pure will power alone. "I have him!" The mystery man called out to whoever was outside.

He passed through the doors and Alec dropped all his strength and weight into this man's arms, weak but glad he made it. A voice was shouting in hysterics but it was all a jumble mumble of jibberish to Alec. His vision became fuzzy, slowly blacking out from the corner of his vision. The last thing he saw, was Magnus' still figure on the grass. Then, Alec managed to say one word, not audible to even himself.

"Magnus...."


	9. Chapter 9

16 days earlier 

"Alec!" Izzy cried in happiness, "Alec you're alive!" 

"Perhaps not for long. He needs instant medical care, your iratzes will not work on any of his injuries. Portal, now."

"R-right." She fumbled for the stele in her pocket and began drawing on the ground, "where are we going? We should just go back to the city!"

"There's no time, they'll be busy with others and if Alec is to be saved, Magnus and... Whoever the blonde one is, they'll need multiple people or one very powerful warlock. Moi."

"Who are you, anyway?" She stood up and pulled Clary out the way. She had collapsed not long after the warlock have gone inside for Alec.

"My name is Lupin, the High warlock of well... Everything. The eldest in existence." Isabelle nodded, "Magnus and I are close friends. I wouldn't be here if he weren't so stubborn." A grin grew on his face.

Isabelle grabbed Jace's left arm and Clary's right, clearly struggling to lift them both. With the help of magic, she managed to balance them equally on her shoulders. "The institute? Surely the two of us isn't enough?"

"I know everything. Literally. If you give me what I ask while tending to your ginger friend as I work on Alec, things will go smoothly."

"Her name's Clary, and 'the blonde one' is Jace." Lupin ignored her and replaced Alec onto his left shoulder, Magnus on the right, "and what about Magnus also? Doesn't he and Jace need attention?"

"Jace can wait, Magnus simply needs rest."

"Okay, then let's go. I'll go first so you know where to go." She stepped through the portal and landed safely inside the institute infirmary, Lupin arriving just after.

Quickly, Isabelle placed Jace onto a bed in an awkward position but it was the best she could do. She placed Clary on the one adjacent to his then ran to the cabinet they kept emergency supplies in. "What do you need?"

Lupin didn't answer. He had layed Alec onto the bed but slightly off, levitating in the air. "Get everything you have drip related, frog eye, dead leaves, cup of schlakë and everything under the category hæklû. And hurry!"

Isabelle dropped everything she was holding onto the counter and ran out the room at top speed, dashing down the stairs, leaping over the cat, smack into the basement door, open the door and straight to the hard and bottles of strange medical things-as she called it- to find these things shed never heard of in her life. "Where the hell is hæklü..." Thankfully, Maryse kept everything in alphabetical order, a slight OCD of hers which Isabelle had too when it came to arranging weapons in certain categories.

"Haar... Haasklè... Hæb... Hæklû!" The shelf was almost empty. "Oh come on!" She reached her hand right to the very back of the shelf and pulled out three jars, all containing something different. "I hope this is enough."

Moving on, she searched for schlakë, which was easy to find and decided it would be easier to bring the entire jug. The drip things, they were rarely ever used, Isabelle had never seen them used except in mundane hospitals; so whatever was wrong with Alec, was dead serious. Quite literally. But she couldn't carry it all in her arms... Rummaging through the corners of the room she found a rusty Telco basket and decided it was better than taking two trips, though in the time she spent searching she probably could've gone there and back by now but all well, better late than never. 

She took the jar of frogs' eyes on the way out and picked up random dead leaves off window sills. Thank Raziel it was the middle of October. She found the basket to weigh almost nothing in comparison to Jace and Clary who simply bled all over her gear.

Lupin had taken off Alec's shirt and trousers since he seemed to injuries on every part of his body. Long red lines in every direction down his back; deep cuts and wounds, mainly on the upper thigh, bruises and scratches covered his stomach and wrists. His hands were burnt, black and cracked with dries blood that had leaked through, his left ankle was twisted to the side and extremely swelled up, purple and black. He didn't have that in his cell, Izzy thought. He was so thin, his ribs were almost fully visible though one seemed to dip down, obviously broken and somehow not damaging his major arteries. Hopefully.

Izzy put the basket and leaves on the table. "The hæklü shelf was really empty, so I took what was left; three jars. All full, I wouldn't bring empty jars."

"Good. Pour this on Jace's wound, it will slow the bleeding enough to keep him alive until you're done with Clary. Leave Magnus to sleep, he'll be fine in a couple days." He handed a purple pot of what seemed to be jelly, "don't eat it."

"I'm not that stupid."

"I have my reasons to not trust you but we can discuss that later if you really want. But for now, do not interrupt me unless something drastic happens those guys. I may say some ingredients which I need you to fetch and- actually, do you have a heart monitor?"

"One. But we've never used it, no one has ever been out or alive long enough to need it."

"He'll need it when I'm done."

"Okay, I'll go get it now..." Lupin was making her nervous, how long was he expecting Alec to be out for? 

"Wait-" she stopped in the doorway and turned, "if you hear me mumbling spells or something that seems strange, as long as I'm not showing a large purple vein on my forehead, it's fine. So two conditions you can interrupt me, understood? I sound strict, but if you want a dead friend, be my guest."

"He's my brother..."

"..." He looked sorry and she hoped he was, she hated pity but now seemed a nice time to have some. "Then I will try twice as hard to keep him alive." That made Izzy smile.

He turned serious then and put a had on Alec's belly, the tips of his fingers glowing an electric red. He kept two fingers on his neck to make sure his pulse kept going at a steady pace or if it sped up, that's what Lupin needed to happen to continue, a faster and more normal pulse.

And that's how he stood for the rest of the night, eventually stopping at 5 am only to move onto Jace. Isabelle was falling asleep, her eyes half closed but only staying awake for their sakes. She had managed to heal Clary throughout the night and replace Jace's bandages while Lupin simply stood and moved his hands over Alec's thin frame. It hurt to see so she distracted herself by filling up the three drip bags Lupin asked to fill with strange remedies which ended up looking like strawberry jelly, yellow glitter and blue paint. 

"They're safe now." He said as he attatched the heart monitor to Alec, "you can sleep now."

Isabelle yawned. "What about you?"

"I don't sleep most nights, I'll be fine. I'll wake you if anything goes wrong."

Isabelle smiled widely and tears threatened her eyes. She stood up, ran to Lupin and hugged him tightly. "Thank you... I would've lost my two remaining brothers if it weren't for you."

Lupin looked shocked if anything, he'd hadn't been hugged in a very long time; almost forgetting what affection felt like, "that's okay," he hugged her back, though he was so tall his arms rested round her neck. "I'm glad I could help."

She jumped up and kissed his cheek. Letting go and looking up at him, though tired, she could tell he was tall and that his eyes were green splashed with blue and his red hair was his warlock mark. But that was all, she'd get to know him later when she was more awake.

Stumbling her way to the free bed beside Alec, she lay down and shut her eyes. She wanted more than anything to hold his hand but one was in a cast in a sling, while the other had wires and tubes that would have a dangerous consequence if tampered with. The beeping of the monitor kept her calm, knowing that he was okay as long as that kept going at a steady pace while they all slept-excusing Lupin- through the nights. As she drifted off, she thought of the beeps as one step closer to survival.

15 days earlier

"You hungry?" Lupin asked himself, "no, I don't eat very much. Also, not hungry." He then answered back.

It was nearing midday and Isabelle was still sleeping peacefully, her left arm outstretched towards her brother who lay only a couple meters away. No one had stirred or spoke, he felt rather alone but this feeling was familiar to him. All day, everyday, he spent most days alone, working. He didn't have many friends, but they had other friends or work of their own to do. Or, lived in far away places, Magnus was the closest by about a 1000 mile radius.

Lupin sighed and put his chin in his heads, bouncing up and down on his knee. His left ear twitched like a cat's would in sense of danger and he looked round, alert before focusing on Alec who was no longer floating and lay on his back on top of the sheets; he would seem peaceful if it weren't for the bandages and drips and such. He frowned at Alec, nothing was wrong...yet. With a snap of his fingers, Lupin made what he called 'the electric life giver' into the room.

"I hate my life sometimes..." He sighed again and buried his face, ignoring the sound of someone stirring. "I'm too old for all this."

"Who...?" Said a small, quiet voice.

Lupin looked up, wondering who that was. "Clary." He hid his feelings behind a façade and walked to her, "how are you?"

"Who? What? Where? Why?" Lupin rolled his eyes, he recognised that quote.

"I'm Lupin, friend of Magnus. New York institute and you've been unconscious for a day, do you not remember yesterday?"

Clary froze and sat up suddenly, cried out, and collapsed back down, her wrists screaming in pain. "Careful!" He warned her, "without help, you won't be able to use your wrists or walk because of your ankles for a week or so."

"Ok, how about why you're here? Friend of Magnus: did he what, call out to you? I found him unconscious." She turned her head to look at him, "can't believe I woke up before the others."

"I could happily explain but it would probably be too biological for you." 

"Try me."

"Well, okay then." He clicked his knuckles and leant back in his chair, "Jace; had a large demonic stab wound to the hip and lost enough blood to kill a mundane but thanks to being a shadowhunter and his sister's help, he's alive. Losing a lot of blood can make you feel dizzy or sick, even from a simple nosebleed, and his arm is broken which I'm sure he can explain later-"

"Crushed by rocks."

"-okay. So that pain probably wouldn't normal make him pass out, but exhaustion and pain has made him how he is. It'll be a few days probably, perhaps longer."

"Magnus?"

"He's simply exhausted from giving over half his life energy to Alec, but Alec must've let go because he'd be dead otherwise. He'll wake up rather groggy later. Perhaps tomorrow, my estimates are never particularly accurate."

"Oh okay.." She tried to sit up and Lupin helped her, "ALEC!?" Her eyes grew wide and frightened, "and Izzy!!!"

"Isabelle's fine, just tired. She was up all night helping Jace, you and I."

"Who was helping Alec!?"

"Me, idiot. I'm the only one who could without needing multiple warlocks. I should be sleeping but I can't. Not until Isabelle is awake. Or Magnus, but he needs to be alert."

"What about me?"

"You'll be asleep in a couple hours." Lupin stood and went back to Alec, "also, you can't bring me what I need because you can't walk or lift heavy things." He cut some bandages to length and re-applied the rather soaked ones. "You haven't lived here your entire life."

"Neither have you," she glared at the warlock.

"No, it would be terribly boring if I had. Living on flat ground before anything was built on this ground."

"Geez, how old are you?"

"Lost count, but probably about 30 000... Wait, yeah! Had that birthday last month."

Clary didn't respond to that, she didn't understand how she possibly could. He was so old. "How..how many?"

Lupin glanced at her, mid applying plasters, "how many what?"

He seemed awfully calm, she thought, different from other warlocks she had met. "H-how many are your age? O-or older?"

"Is there any reason for your nervous tone of voice? Or are you hurting?"

"No.. No.. I'm fine. You're just.. Different."

"Different?" He took a shaky breath, "you could say that. And to answer the previous question, no. I'm the eldest by a couple hundred or so years; but I think he'll be dead before too long."

"Why?"

"Warlocks go mad with age. I just hide it."

13 days earlier

The sun was low and Lupin was finally taking a nap, after days of refusing to sleep. With Clary awake also, Izzy had someone to talk to for most of the day. She had naps here and there since the runes Sebastian had used could not be healed by iratze, Clary had to heal the mundane way. Pills and rest.

The topic of Lupin himself had come up more than once. Neither of the girls knew anything about the guy, and it seemed cruel to question him since he avoided most that were historic or personal; also that when Magnus woke up, they didn't think he'd be particularly happy if the first thing he heard was "what the hell is up with that Lupin guy?" 

Clary knew near nothing, his age and that he helped everyone survive. Isabelle knew a bit more, but only information about how he helped everyone. Who exactly was this warlock who was extremely tall with ruby red hair and eyes to die for? 

They hadn't worried though, he seemed kind enough and hadn't hurt anyone, the complete opposite in fact. 

"How are you feeling? Everything ok?" Izzy asked, breaking the silence.

"Physically or mentally?"

"Both." Clary sighed.

"Physically okay, just stinging against that ointment stuff. Mentally... Upset, drained, hopeful."

"Jace will wake up soon, I promise and so does Lupin."

Clary shook her head, "I know he will. It's Alec I'm worried about. I need to talk to him, privately, about Sebastian. I gotta know he's okay..."

Isabelle frowned at her, not understanding, not even a fraction could she imagine. "What? Can't you just tell us together?"

"No!" Clary almost screeched and covered her mouth with her hands in surprise. 

"People are trying to sleep! Shut up!" A voice groaned.

Izzy turned and gasped, looking rather terrified, "Magnus! You're awake..."

"That shrill woke me. I shouldn't be awake till tomorrow, thanks." He yawned, "how's Alec doing? I should tell him I'm alright, or you can, I don't mind."

"Yeah... I'll-I'll tell him. He's asleep right now though, still a bit exhausted."

"Can I see him?" Magnus sat up and frowned, "what's that beeping?"

His eyes widened before the girls could reply, "Alec...?"

"He's alive." Clary said, "and probably really traumatised. I don't know how to say this Magnus but-"

"He would rather see you instead of me."

"-no. He needs to see Izzy. Then me, then you. Or vice versa, we're just about equally important. You don't understand..." Magnus gulped.

"Where... Is he?" Izzy stood up and moved out the way of his view to reveal Alec in the bed beside him, then Lupin in the one following it, "is Lupin okay?"

"Fine I think, sleeping. He doesn't exactly tell us much."

"That's normal, he has his reasons." He got out of bed and sat beside Alec on the bed, "Alec..." He trailed off and took hold of his hand, "why...." Tears flowed from his eyes at the simple sight of Alec. "I'm...s-sorry..."

The girls exchanged looks and Izzy left the room, leaving Magnus to have his moments.

11 days earlier

"Hey, Magnus?" Clary asked.

"Yeah?" He looked up from Alec's face, his own stained with dry tears from previous days.

"What's the deal with Lupin? He's really... Weird. Different from warlocks like you, Tessa, Catarina and your brief description of Ragnor."

"That's not my secret to tell. It's his, and his alone. So don't hate him, he's a lovely guy with a troubled past and a complicated personality. He's an individual, not different. We're all different" beep..beep..beep "I know I probably sound like I'm lecturing you, but he's a sensitive guy and I'm not in a very good mood today."

"Okay, alright. We just know barely anything about him, and I don't trust people like that." Beep.....beep..... 

"After everything he has done? You don't trust him? That's rather sick." Beep..........beep.......... "Wait..." He frowned and looked back, "Alec..!?"

Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-

"His heart is failing!" Magnus cursed loudly and ran for Lupin who was just outside the door, "Lupin! His heart has failed! We have to hurry or he'll die."

"Impossible." Lupin muttered and rushed inside, shoving Magnus out the way.

He ran to Alec and saw with his own eyes, the heart monitor was one continuous line. He had a maximum of just five minutes, perhaps less, to get him alive again. "I can't believe this but... Clear!" He threw a lightning bolt into his chest and Alec's back jumped off the bed, staying dead, "clear! Isabelle! Give his oxygen manually!" He zapped him again with still no result. Izzy pressed down on a fan to help Alec breath if air returned to him somehow. "Clot..." Lupin made it dissolve and could feel the blood flowing, "clear!" Another and finally a small pulse returned.

It was a slow pulse, but slowly quickening as Lupin took over breathing control. They re-attached his oxygen mask and let him breath on his own. "No one sleeps, we take this in shifts at night. He could die and we'd all be asleep. We simply can't let that happen. For all our sakes."

"Please don't think like that." Magnus almost pleaded, "I don't believe that the unconscious can hear you, but I'll probably talk to him anyway. There's too much I have to tell him before he's gone..." 

"Magnus! He's not going to die! Heart failures only happen more than twice if there's no hope. If this happens again, then we should get scared. It's not time to worry yet." Isabelle butted in.

"One thing," Lupin said, "this will happen again, I can foresee it. He's getting stronger, all we do is wait. I'm not leaving."

"I wouldn't let you." Magnus walked over and hugged him tightly, shaking and on the verge of tears again.

They were about the same height, Lupin being a couple inches taller, balancing his chin on the smaller warlock's head as if he were a child who dropped their ice cream. Clary wondered why they weren't together before he had met Alec; and if they were, how were they still so friendly with each other? "Lupin, are you gay? Or are you just that friendly with everyone?" Clary blurted, speaking her thoughts aloud. 

He looked at her and glared, "no to both of those questions. End of." Magnus looked at her as well and shook his head. Something was very wrong about Lupin, but only they knew what.

10 days earlier

Magnus yawned and rubbed his eyes. He'd fallen asleep in that plastic chair again but that's not where was now. Someone's hand was on his forehead and the blankness of the walls except for a hole indicated immediately this was Alec's room. "Alec?" He sat up and looked round, finding Lupin instead.

"Just me. Sorry to disappoint." He lifted his hand from the bed and wiped his eyes. "It's just a phase, you don't need to look after me. I just need to take my meds but I'm here and would prefer not to go home because I'll just get distracted and then Alec will die and I can't let that happen because of you and that girl Isabelle, the fear on her face when I carried him out the building six days ago..."

"Lulu... Come here you overgrown cherry." Magnus sat cross legged and put Lupin in his lap. "It doesn't matter, I can get them for you if you like? I know where you keep them after all."

"It's okay... He won't be asleep for much longer." He buried his face in Magnus' chest, "I hope."

"We can hope, it's all we got." Magnus tightened his grip round Lupin's waist and he held his head close.

9 days earlier

"Jace?" Clary whispered.

"Clary?" Jace rolled over in his bed and looked at her, "when did you wake up?"

"Like, 6 or something days ago. When did you wake up?"

"When I heard someone crying. How long was I out?" He sat up, leaning on his elbow and grunted, "ah, my hip..."

"A week. Magnus woke up a couple days or so ago, Izzy was unharmed. I'm okay, just.. Can't really move on my own. And... Nothing, there's no and."

"Yeah there is. What is it?"

"Just a little sore because of Sebastian... Just Sebastian, that's all." She wanted to curl up in a ball and cry because of her runes, demons could do whatever they want without making her give birth to a warlock child.

"Okay then..." He sighed, "wait.. Alec? Is Alec okay!?"

"See for yourself, he's two beds to our left. Magnus was in the other one but he's sleeping. Izzy is too, the red haired warlock is over in the corner, they're doing the night in shifts."

"Why?"

"Alec's heart failed two days ago, we don't want it to happen again in the middle of the night while we're sleeping. No one could save him twice."

"What do you mean twice? That's the first time he's died in his life."

Clary shook her head. "He was dead the day before battle.." She bit back tears, the screams echoing in her mind, "Sebastian did it..." She didn't dare tell him it was attempted suicide that Sebastian simply helped him finish. That was his secret.

"So he really was... My rune... It was bleeding, but I just thought... I never checked properly. Not even when I took off my shirt to give you."

"I saw it... Dried blood all over it, smudged and it was a faint silver."

"Guess this means we'll be doing the ceremony a third time."

"The final time. Sebastian is dead, you both -technically- survived two fights with him. You won't die until you both grow old with a happy family." 

"Oh yeah... That reminds me. I have something to ask you later." Jace smiled at her.

"And what would that be?"

Jace yawned, "later."

~*~

"Jace! You're not meant to get out of bed! Lay back down or I'll force you." Isabelle shouted at him.

"This is important! Now fetch me that box over on the counter. I need it." Jace said back, not caring at all.

Clary got up onto her elbows and frowned, "why exactly is this so important? Because it's stopping my beauty nap. I'm tired." She wheeled herself slowly over to her bed.

"Clary, wait. It's about you. I'm asking you that question now." He took the box and opened it, fell over, got onto one knee and held it up.

"Jace...?"

"Clary... Raziel I should have done this sooner, look at us, we're both half dead. But we've been together since I first set eyes on you, officially dating since that night in the greenhouse. I love you, through everything these past seven years and Izzy finally convinced me it was time, and your talk about a family... Yes. Yes! I want to grow old with you and have a family. So I ask one thing of you now... Marry me? Please?" He looked up with almost pleading eyes, looking extremely vulnerable with one arm in a sling and red patched bandages round his waist.

"Jace... I.." She winced at the stinging in her wrists, "I love you too. But..."

"You don't want to marry me..?" The amount of hurt on his face made a tear in her heart.

"Jace, I do! I just can't... Decide right now. There's too much... This, is too much. I want to, but if I say yes now I feel like it won't be with all my heart because some of my heart is with Alec right now... I'm sorry."

Jace stood silently and began walking towards the doors, an extreme limp clearly visible because of a sprained ankle in the fall. If he were to walk, he was meant to have a crutch but he was clearly miffed. He tried constantly not to trip even as Clary shouted for him to come back, but he didn't. He left without another word.

7 days earlier

"Have you guys seen Jace? He still hasn't come back downstairs." Clary was growing worried after Jace had simply stormed out. He just didn't understand.

"He's fine, just being sulky in his room. But he has his reasons, it seems simple to you but it's far worse than complicated." Isabelle replied, tending to Alec's bandages.

Some of Alec's wound didn't need bandages anymore, but his hands and all down his stomach because of his back still needed bandages; the rest were all exposed with some having stitches or tape to keep them closed. One drip had gone, but the hydration and feeder ones were still in so he didn't die of hunger. His rib was back in position, but his breathing was erratic yet a steady heartbeat. It was highly encouraging for the others, but signs of waking up were nowhere to be seen.

Jace was being cared for in his room, finally being convinced to have a crutch whenever he decided to get up. Isabelle doubted he ever used it, but Magnus kept saying he had seen him with it. 

Lupin was sleeping from having stayed up all night fretting over something, he was getting worse by the day it seemed. They kept asking Magnus about it but he eventually snapped and told them to drop the subject or he would go all Abbadon on them; and that wouldn't be pretty. So they shut up about it but it didn't stop them worrying or being a little too curious because of it.

Clary looked over at Alec, his monitor acting up and going high then suddenly low. "Izzy, get Lupin." Alec started whimpering though none of his body moved except his chest that had begun panting.

Isabelle took one glance and quickly went to Lupin's bed and shook his shoulder. "Wake up! He's dying again!" Lupin jumped up, "but his heart hasn't stopped, we don't really know what's going on."

"What's going on then?" He got up and walked over, "what the..? He's having a heart attack you idiots. But not a normal one. Gotta calm his heart down."

He immediately got to work and Alec began to glow with a blue outline, his whimpering turning into pained whines. His heart rate began to slow when he suddenly screamed, making Lupin lose focus and accidentally make a fresh cut over an old one on his shoulder, which made Alec hiss and go back to panting.

Magnus burst through the double doors, "I heard Alec scream!"

"No, Magnus! Shoo!" Izzy ran up to him and ushered him outside, following behind so he didn't try to get back in.

Lupin tried his hardest to get back to concentrating, struggling to get Alec glowing again. It took lots of groaning and panting from Alec to convince him that he was probably conscious of the pain and wanted it to stop, his conscience would kill him again. So now, on full blast, Lupin lit Alec up in a large blue flame and held it there, waiting for it to turn red. The change going through purple all the meanwhile, Lupin felt exhausted and was now giving it his all. The red flame took ten minutes to appear when Lupin let go and flew back against the wall from a strange force. 

He stood up and walked back to Alec. Alec was quiet now, seeming back to normal, his bandages needed replacing once more and his mask needed to feed less oxygen and the drops needed to be refilled yet again. But his vision began to blur, his legs shook and his head felt heavy. Something inside Alec had just infected him, making him nauseous. "M-Magnus you can come in now!" He called out, turning his head making him stumble.

"Lupin is he okay!? You should've let me help!" Magnus complained.

"He's fine now." He begin to away and his vision varied from white to almost completely black.

"Are you okay? Lie down." He walked over and put a hand on his shoulder. 

"I'm.. Fine." He whispered.

He wasn't. Lupin's knees gave way and he fell backwards, hitting his head on the floor knocking himself out. It happened in slow motion, his feet falling from beneath him and Magnus gradually becoming further away before black covered his vision and blood poured from the back of his head. "Lupin!" Magnus screeched. 

4 days earlier

"You're not fine."

"I am fine."

"You're not fine, Lupin! Please, go home. I can take care if things round here. You're losing it, I don't want you cutting." Magnus held onto his wrists, "you didn't see the demon trapped inside Alec's subconscious, that's really a bad sign of you not being yourself."

"I don't need to go home. Screw my meds. They only make me sleep deprived and focused on only work and no one or anything else."

"Change your prescription then! That could become potentially dangerous, a strange OCD to work is not normal, even for a man of your age."

"Magnus... Harriette...."

"Is that why you're so upset? Harriette?"

"I'm not sure of anything anymore. Work is a mere distraction."

"And clearly my hugs don't work. Kiss?"

Lupin nodded and looked up at Magnus. He could see his reflection in his eyes, a sad one. He closed his eyes as Magnus leant down and kissed him softly, in a friendly not flirty way. Their friendship was indeed a strange one that no one could ever understand. Lupin was straight as a ruler but always found Magnus a great comfort blanket, he'd never had feelings for him and neither had Magnus for him.

Lupin was the one to pull away and curl up in Magnus' lap, tucking his legs in and folding his arms around them. "I worry about you. Please stay here and rest or go home and I'll come say hi after Alec wakes up. I'm perfectly capable of it."

Lupin took a scrap of Magnus' torn shirt in his hand and held it tightly, "I don't want to be alone. Not again. I need someone right now, and I prefer no one but you, Magnus. Surely you should know that by now."

"I do, Lupin, I do."

The day before

"Ha! I can move my wrists enough to push the wheels! Now we just need ramps all over the institute." Clary laughed and spun in a circle, "see if I can learn a few tricks-Jace!" She spun and saw him crutching himself to a bed.

He said nothing and sat down, his bandage in need of desperate replacement. "I tripped, I think it re opened." He said gruffly, "hurts like a bitch."

Isabelle tended to him quietly, the tension in the air being not too pleasant. Jace had clearly still not forgiven Clary for not giving him a yes or a no some days ago. Magnus spent him time either next to Alec or elsewhere in the institute doing something with Lupin. She had given up on asking about their friendship as well, clearly it was a secret that would probably be dangerous or something if anyone knew. She still liked the warlock, but he was weird and it would be best if he left; in her opinion anyway.

Jace yawned and lay down in the bed. Izzy had refused to let him leave before it was almost fully healed since he was so accident prone in his current state. Whether he liked it or not, or whether Clary liked it or not, he was going to stay.

"Lupin has gone home. I hope you guys are happy now." Magnus said as he walked over to Alec," so basically I'm the one who's taking care of Alec now... Poor... Innocent Alec." He sat on the bed and disappeared into his own little world.

"Home? Well he should, he seemed almost.. Ill. Sure you shouldn't go with him? Not to be mean but-"

"No. He'll be alright, he told me to stay because of Alec. Catarina is busy alright? Healing isn't my speciality but I brought him back to life didn't I?"

"I guess..." Isabelle was defeated and left the infirmary, her footsteps echoed off the corridor since the doors were open.

~*~

"Jace?" Clary whispered, "you awake?"

"Course. What do you want?" He mumbles back.

"I do." Then she rolled over and went to sleep.

The day

"Clary? You awake yet?" Jace whispered, shaking her shoulder lightly.

"Let the poor girl sleep!" Magnus reprimanded him, not in a particularly good mood, "she said 'I do', what do you want? Clarification? She's upset about Alec in ways that no one but the two of them can understand. Don't pester either of them about it. I think we would both prefer if he remembered nothing."

"It would be best, but we can't stop Clary from telling him can we? You can't protect him from everything you know."

"I can try... But I guess there's no way out or this one." He sighed and lifted Alec's limp hand to his cheek. "He may be left with permanent trauma."

"Not if you get back together with him. That's what got him taken in the first place, depression. You remember Luc don't you?"

"Of course. But he doesn't, it hurt too much to see the trauma it had caused him. Too much for one guy to handle at his young age. It just wasn't fair on him. Course, it doesn't begin to compare to Sebastian. I don't even dare say the word."

"That bastard raped my parabatai."

"They both did." Magnus bowed his head, showing he didn't want to continue the conversation any further.

Silence fell over the room. Jace sitting next to Clary, slowly stroking her hair and Magnus, nuzzling Alec's hand once more before lowering it. His body lay there, unmoving with drips in his arm and heart monitor wires stuck to his chest, an oxygen mask for his erratic breathing thanks to a punctured lung. Then his bandages had disappeared except for round his ankle and a cast for his right wrist; the others were worried he wouldn't be able to fight with a sword, but thankfully it was only a sprain. A miracle really. 

His fingers curled in Magnus' hand, scratching slightly, then uncurled. "Alec?" Magnus looked down shocked, the first sign of movement since he was awake, "Alec..?"

His head moved to the side and back again, a small grunt escaping. Magnus put a hand on his cheek, forgetting everyone around them. He sensed his presence and moved his hand to entwine their fingers together, but he was too weak to do so. His eyes fluttered before opening only a crack, the dim sunset light seemed blinding. He took in a deep breath and coughed, his one working lung not being enough. 

Magnus moved his free hand to his forehead, he could feel a growing fever but Alec wasn't sweating. His eyes were open fully now, looking around at his surroundings, not exactly sure of his whereabouts. He seemed to look at Magnus last. When his eyes widen, Magnus couldn't help but smile and start crying. Sixteen days. Sixteen days he had been out cold. Two weeks Magnus had waited, two heart failures and lots worry. 

"M....mag..Magnus..?" Alec croaked, his voice dry from not being used. 

Magnus choked on a sob, "yeah, it's me. You don't have to speak. Everything's going to be okay now."

He grunted again and panted, "where.. Where am..." He shut his eyes briefly as if in pain.

"The institute. My friend had been taking care of you, but he went home yesterday. You've been out 16 days...."

The others in the room were now surrounding them, but they were giving them the space they needed. Alec look confused, as if 16 days were actually 16 years and he was now 39. Magnus was crying and so was Clary out of relief. He noticed and turned his head, "Clary... You're... Al-alive?"

"You're alive! Goodness Alec, I know everything that's happened! I was there for a while before the battle! I know what he did to you... And what you did." She said the last part so quietly only the two of them heard it.

"Between us..?" She nodded vigorously.

"Clary, give him space and don't shout." Jace hit her arm lightly and tugged her back, "he just woke up. Knowing the lazy bones he's probably still tired after all that." Jace grinned, hoping to make a joke but Alec turned his head away.

"Leave... Us." He held onto Magnus' hand when he made a move to get up, "you... Stay."

And he did. He sat with Alec the entire night and the following days and weeks that came until Alec was healthy enough to be let out. In the meanwhile, Lupin had returned a couple times just to check on things with Magnus and to reassure he was alright. Alec asked of their friendship and Magnus' simple response was "he never had the loving care of a mother." And that was that.

Lupin was left alone, Alec was released from the infirmary on a crutch. Magnus had some things to ask him but he would only tell him at the apartment. Alec went along of course and ended up taking his stuff over as well. He was overthrown when Magnus asked to be his boyfriend again and of course he said, "of course I will you big silly warlock that I love for some reason!" 

Malec. Had been restored. All was well in their world. Robert's funeral was short, he was burnt and they spread his ashes over his favourite field in Idris. Clary apologised to Jace and accepted his proposal when he tried a second time in front of many mundanes in a fancy restaurant-all thanks to Izzy-. They were happy, they all were....


	10. Malec Bonus

"I can walk! Just let me go already. I've spent eight weeks down he-AGH!" Alec doubled over, clutching his chest.

"Alec!"Isabelle ran her fingers over his chest, "you broke your rib. Again. Stop it, okay? Big breaths are not going to help your still injured lung."

"But that means no fighting. What do I do all day?"

"Whatever you like, without hurting yourself around the apartment." Magnus grinned at him from across the room.

Alec gulped. "W-why am I staying with you?" 

"You'll find out. C'mon." He held out a hand.

Alec stood with his crutch and hobbled over before taking Magnus' hand, not squeezing since he was worried that Magnus wouldn't like it. That he was holding hands just to help his balance, not out of love and kindness. Magnus bit his lip, hesitating to what to do, not knowing if Alec still felt the same after all these years. Especially since Luc never happened according to his mind.

It was cold outside and Alec started shivering like an excited chihuahua and Magnus immediately took off his coat and half forced Alec into it, the sleeves being far too long but the insulation and warmth from Magnus made Alec smile. He breathed in the scent he had missed the past seven years, letting his body shiver in happiness. But what on earth had Magnus planned? 

They teleported home since Alec refused to stop shivering and his crutch made him slow and hard to walk with. "You don't have to push yourself anymore." Magnus said once inside, taking the coat back off Alec and hanging it up, "not for the rest of your life."

"I'm a shadowhunter, pushing myself is all I've ever known. Relaxing is nice, but not when there's no one with you..." He trailed off.

"Well, there is now. Sure you still fight, but don't you ever think of quitting that? Not having to risk your life almost everyday?"

"I guess... On occasion but I was born into the shadowhunter life and no one will take me away from it." He sighed and followed Magnus to the living room, hesitating whether to sit or not.

"Sit, silly." He snapped his fingers and a warm fire lit in the fireplace, "c'mere." He sat down and patted the space next to him.

"Why did you make me come here anyway? It just brings back memories..." Alec pulled his leg up and hugged it with one arm.

"Are you that blind, Alexander?" Magnus looked at him in almost disbelief.

"What? Is the wall a new colour?" Alec looked around, "new furniture? New-" but he was cut off with a sudden swift kiss from Magnus.

That was the final straw. Alec launched himself onto Magnus and kissed him with all his might. He tasted like mint and smelt of the once forgotten scent of sandalwood, his lips warm and soft just as he remembered them. Magnus was kissing back, matching the intensity, heating up Alec's body after almost freezing outside. 

He moved his arms to round Alec's waist and carefully pulled him close, not wanting to open healing wounds. Alec wrapped his good arm round Magnus' neck tightly and tugged him lower down to deepen their kiss. Neither of them wished to take it further at that moment, they just wished to savour the moment of being in each other's embrace, having not been for some months. But to Alec, it was a good seven years that he could remember being alone with no one to comfort him when he had night terrors, or returned home after missing for days at a time. His parents would ignore him, Jace would simply pat his shoulder and Izzy just complained. He had been completely alone. 

Magnus had numerous people and work for distractions, but that didn't stop many near death experiences that clearly put Alec into worse depression than before, but Magnus never knew that until he explained everything after Luc's death. The happiest accident. 

But all that was forgotten. All they knew was that they were kissing passionately on the sofa, refusing to let go of each other though Alec grew breathless and was forced to pull away, head bowed and panting. His bangs had grown back, they were covering his eyes like Magnus remembered, how he used to twiddle them between his fingers to help calm Alec down after a stressful day at work.

"What...what was that for?" Alec looked up, lips parted and eyes half open.

"If I recall correctly, you, pounced on me."

"Why am... Why am I here?" 

"Over these seven years I've realised how much I need you in my life. Then when I found you dead in that cell, I thought I'd lost you forever, never being able to fix things. I was ready to die, but when you woke up, I thought this is my chance, I'll die, but I can finish this struggle. So I told you I loved you, unsure if you heard-" Alec shook his head, "-okay. But now here we are. Surely you can guess what I wish to ask?"

Alec nodded and fought back tears, "yes. I love you Magnus!I love you lots and lots!" He buried his face in Magnus' chest, "be my boyfriend again? Please? I can't live without you..."

"Yes, sweet pea... Yes." Magnus cupped Alec's face in his hands and smiled at him. "I love you."

"I love you too." Alec leant up and kissed him again, softly.

Magnus kissed him back, being gentle yet pouring all his love into it, Alec doing the same in a weaker fashion, he would do so for some time. Alec's lung was still injured and he broke a rib again in the morning, but Magnus had put it back in place so his breathing didn't hurt, but was rather erratic. Magnus didn't mind though, it reminded him what they had gone through to reach this happy moment, how all his mistakes had lead up to this moment, it was all worth it in the end. Of course he felt guilt for causing this, but he couldn't change that now.

Alec pulled away again, his cheek damp with tears as were Magnus'. Alec smiled breathlessly and shoved his crutch out the way and pulled his legs up, tucked his head under one of Magnus' arms. Fidgeted, then lay down with his head in Magnus' lap before he began coughing. He curled up until he was finished and stayed curled up, he was rather comfy in that position. He curled his fingers into Magnus' jeans when something with claws jumped onto his head.

He didn't even wince as he lifted his hand to pick the furball whom was known as Chairman Meow. Alec sat up and noticed Magnus was fiddling with some sort of device. "What's that?" He asked, voice sounding hoarse.

"An oxygen tank. You won't get very far with one and a quarter or so lungs, so this'll help. And a simple cough can't kill you." He held it up, "goes in your nose."

Alec took it and raised an eyebrow, "um.. Okay." He stuck the two tubes in his nostrils and shook his head, "this feels weird." Hooked the spare round his ears and looked at Magnus for some sort of approval. 

"I think it's a rather cute look on you, honestly." Alec blushed and kissed him swiftly on the cheek.

He lay back down in his lap with the Chairman right in front of his face. He started giggling quietly, "it tickles." 

Magnus rolled his eyes and started stroking Alec's hair. Soft as silk yet hard as a pin, just how he remembered it. A smile grew on both of their faces as he continued stroking and twiddling his bangs, keeping them away from his closed eyes. Neither of them spoke, words had been spoken so now they took comfort in the silence, the only sounds being Alec's breathing and the Chairman's purring.

Before long, Alec was asleep, one arm curled round the Chairman and the other lying gently on Magnus' leg. He continued to stroke his hair until he noticed the Chairman jump down and Alec's going with him, he caught it and placed it back on the sofa. He looked peaceful and happy, a sight only Magnus saw the true sight of. Alec was never fully at ease without Magnus around, and he felt honoured; Alec put all his trust into Magnus and that trust was not given to be messed around with.

The day went on and as the sun began to set, the fire at a dim glow, all was quiet and everyone was asleep. Alec laying calmly in Magnus' lap, his hand lying on top of his head, and Magnus' head was tilted to the side, his cheek squished up against the sofa cushion. Even the Chairman, hungry as he was was asleep on top of Alec's bad hand, but it didn't make the shadowhunter stir.

~*~

Alec was walking through a flower bed of tulips along a stone path, unsure why or where he was headed, he continued anyway. It seemed endless, a very medieval castle being a small speck on the horizon. The sky was blue an birds were chirping. Alec felt like a girl in this dream, but everything was so real that he soon forgot he was dreaming and found himself wondering how he's gotten to this place.

The castle now stood in front of him, and Izzy was sat on the grass, looking happy and carefree in her baby pink summer dress. Laughing and squealing could be heard from inside the castle, he could pinpoint out Jace and Magnus but the others were either familiar or unknown to him. "Hey, Izzy. You look happy." Alec commented, sitting down beside her.

When she didn't answer, Alec shrugged and lay on his back, watching the clouds. Quickly, the sky progressed through the day until sunset arrived when it slowed back to normal. Everything was still the same though, Izzy in her dress, noises from the castle. Alec stood and looked round, "time flies. We should head home, Izzy." He stretches his arms above his head and looked at his sister who now wore gear. "Izzy?"

"I'm not leaving without my brothers!" She screamed, a terrified expression growing on her face.

Alec looked dumbfounded, "Jace and I? Jace isn't here and I'm right next to you." 

"No! You're lying!" She still didn't look at him, her eyes were fixed on the castle.

Turning round, Alec noticed the flowers were gone and trees had replaced them, screaming and shouts of anger and pain coming from beyond. He turned back and the castle was dark, the laughing gone and replaced with different shouts of words and jibberish mixed into one. He decided to find out what the hell was going on. 

The inside corridor held numerous demons, Jace, and Izzy. Alec frowned and turned back, she was gone. He looked back and the demons were dead, Jace walked into a side room and Izzy watched from the doorway. "Guys, what's going on exactly?" Alec stood beside her and watched Jace speak mutely to Clary. "Why was I not told about this mission?"

Suddenly, everyone's eyes widened and Isabelle ran off. "Izzy!" Alec followed her, as if he weren't hurt at all.

He got to some basement stairs when reality dawned on him. This was the night everything went to hell. This was the night those long pain filled weeks of agony and crying, blood and tears. If he followed her, though he knew the way, he would find himself, barely alive and covered in who knows what; there wasn't exactly any nearby mirrors.

Curiosity took the better of him and he went down, just a peek wouldn't hurt. He could hear quiet murmurs, a body collapsing and then Alec heard his own voice. He didn't remember much about that night, but perhaps this would shed some light. Some dark, dark light.

Inside there was almost no light, Magnus lay unconscious on the floor and Izzy had a look of care and worry for Alec, she looked like she wanted to hug him and cradle him in her small arms. Alec on the other hand, stared at himself in disbelief. Did he really look like that? What had Sebastian done to him? Not an inch of his body was unharmed, his skin wasn't white, it was pink or blood red. 

Izzy left with Magnus and slowly Alec watched himself walk out, the explosion, and the rock collapse. It brought tears to his eyes and he started crying uncontrollably out of fear for himself. Maybe he was dead, and waking up, everything with Magnus was not real.

"Alec? You alright sweet pea?"

That's when Magnus' friend appeared, he never did learn his name. First time he came back to visit, Alec was still under strong care; the second, he was asleep. And from there on, he simply hadn't asked anyone. He got a good look at him now; red hair, green and blue eyes, tight trousers and a loose tank top with blue converse. Not battle material at all. This only made Alec cry more at his patheticness, the warlock's strong stride almost scared him.

"You're crying. Hey, sweet pea, you even awake?"

He followed him back out, getting a proper look of what was blurred in his memory of outside. Battle had stopped, Clary was unconscious in bad shape, Magnus seemed as if he were sleeping, Jace was bleeding heavily and then Izzy was crying because she was the only one awake and didn't know what to do.

"Alec, it's okay, wake up."

The world shook and Alec tripped. He heard a faint whisper and looked up at himself, "Magnus... But no one heard me." He cried further looking back at his parabatai in such horrible shape.

"Hey... Wake up, come on."

Slowly everyone faded away and someone stood in the castle entrance. The fire was gone, only the ruins remained. Sebastian. He was there. Did Jace not kill him like he said? Was he not beheaded by Clary? Did he really stand there after everyone was gone? "I am dead, Alexander."

"Alec! Quit scaring me!"

The world shook further and Alec couldn't stop from trembling. Sebastian was in his dream. "But I can still plague your dreams if I wish." Alec gulped as he walked closer, the shaking seeming to not affect him.

"Wake up! You're not unconscious. No!"

"Deep sleeper? Poor Magnus. Guess I got time to spare while I'm here." Suddenly Alec was lying on his back in tight bondage of ropes. Then the memories came flooding back...

Alec screamed and cried vigorously, his breath coming out in short pants. Everything was black in his vision since his eyes were shut tightly and refused to open, the image of Sebastian still fresh in his mind. Someone else was screaming back at him but he ignored it, still feeling back in that dungeon, tied up and helpless. A hand covered his mouth and Alec suddenly jerked in a panic and yanked at it, but no matter how hard he tried, it wouldn't budge.

Eventually he gave up having wasted all his energy. He opened his eyes, expecting to see Sebastian smirking but saw a crying Magnus instead. Alec blinked out his final tears in shock more than anything else, this was the last thing he expected to see. Magnus removed his hand and Alec saw the scratch marks along his arm where Alec had attacked. They disappeared quickly but he still felt terrible for ever doing something so horrible to the one he loved more than anyone.

"Magnus...?" Alec was out of breath, his lung struggling to keep up, "I'm so sorry..." He lifted an arm and reached for him.

"Thank god you're okay..." Magnus reached down and pulled him up into a hug. He wanted to squeeze him tightly like he used to but he was forced to refrain when Alec squeaked in pain. 

"It was just a dream..." 

"I tried to wake you up for a full hour then you screamed and attacked my arm for another. That was more than a dream."

"I saw everything." Alec detached himself and lay back down, Magnus doing the same. "Jace and clary, izzy coming to the basement... I didn't see you until your friend carried me back outside. Then..."

"Then what sweet pea?"

"Sebastian..." Magnus was quiet, Alec hadn't told him anything of what happened, only Clary. "He's dead but he can plague my dreams."

"I can fix that." Magnus kissed Alec's forehead, lingering a couple seconds, "you're safe now. He can never hurt you again, and I'll make sure no one else does. You're just too precious to lose." 

Alec smiled and shuffled over, nuzzling Magnus' chest. Magnus took the signal and wrapped his arms round him protectively, "that's a promise." He kissed his head, "do you think you can sleep again?"

Alec nodded slowly, "can I live here again?" He yawned, feeling safe now that he was in Magnus' arms. The only place he ever felt truly safe.

"I'll bring your stuff over in the morning."

"Thank you..." He whispered before drifting off to sleep.

~*~

Alec winced. Something hurt his face and he was cold. Opening his eyes slowly, he noticed the sun streaming through the gap in the curtains. Magnus was gone since the door was open and voices were coming from the living room. Alec rolled onto his back and a put a hand to his cheek, feeling slight blood trickle. He didn't remember having a scratch on his face, perhaps he did it in the night.

He sat up and stretched, taking a deep breath and coughing. He wondered what the time was and decided to get up. He was still fully clothed so he simply stood and walked out, wheeling his little tank behind him; he found it annoying, but hopefully he'd get used to its presence. Everything seemed super bright and Alec had to squint momentarily while his eyes adjusted. The voices had stopped and Alec looked round, Jace and Izzy were talking to Magnus on the sofas, Chairman Meow hissing at them but ran purring to Alec when he saw him. "Hey furball." He bent down and picked up the small cat.

"You're awake?" Jace looked over at him, "feeling okay?"

"Should I still be comatose or something? Sorry, but I prefer being awake with my boyfriend."

"Well, no. Yesterday while you were sleeping, Magnus brought all your stuff over since you asked if you could so very rudely leave me with a witch to live with a peadophile."

"Hey!" Alec snapped and glared, "you don't talk about Magnus that way."

"And me?" Izzy raised an eyebrow.

"You're our sister, we can do as we please little sister.

"Anyway!" Magnus butt in and looked over at Alec, "I told them about your dream while I was there. They were worried so they came back with me since they insisted on talking to you. Then you never woke up. So basically, you now live here and you were asleep for a day and a half."

"A day and a half? Yeah right." The Chairman meowed at him so he sighed and frowned, "hang on... Why'd you tell them!?"

"They gotta know if you're okay or not don't they? I didn't tell them everything Alexander," Alec winced at the use of his full name, "I'm not mean. They were there themselves after all. Well, Izzy was anyway. And then you don't wake up for a day, bit worrying isn't it?"

"I wouldn't know. Everyone I know is sane enough to not let that happen to them, now aren't they? I've never known someone get this I'll without dying." Alec fell silent, "except of course the person who used to be my reason of living before you. He's dead. And so's my dad..." He sighed, "anyway. I'm fine. They can go home, it was just a nightmare."

"What about the scratch on your face? Did you scratch yourself in your sleep?" Magnus walked over and raised his fingers to look at it, "that's deep. Trying to carve a pattern with a knife?" He touched it softly and slowly healed it with his magic, leaving a faint scar. 

"Sebastian." Alec hugged Magnus tightly, burying his face in the crook of his neck. "Make him go away."

"What are you two murmuring about? Or should we just go home." Jace piped up, clearly bored and wanting to see Clary who was resting at home.

"You can go." Magnus said, "we have something important to do."

So they left. Alec sat on the sofa and picked at a scab on his wrist, catching his breath. He hated being almost constantly breathless, he wanted his air back so he and Magnus could do more things together- he wasn't a virgin. Not after Sebastian. But that's not what he had in mind, he probably wouldn't for many years do that. 

Magnus came over and saw the sad expression on his face as he stroked the cat, that usually always cheered him up. Sebastian ha clearly left a mark in his mind, but would that ever go away? He didn't know, but it hurt to see him so distant. He pushed him down onto the sofa slowly until he lay down and brought his legs up.

He still looked distant, even as Magnus out him to sleep while he got Sebastian out of his head. It didn't take long, but the memories would always be there, and he would always remember them whether he liked to or not. But it would not plague his dreams any longer, no more suffering nights or injuries while he slept.

He woke again once it was over, seeming as if nothing happened he kept looking ahead at nothing. "Alec," Magnus stroked his hair, "he's gone."

He looked up at him, "really? You sure?" He sat up, his eyes were almost pleading him for it to be true, it was only one night but it was enough to scar.

"Yeah. You can sleep peacefully now.. Whether I'm there or not." He picked Alex up bridal style in his arms and hugged him close to his chest.

Alec took his shirt in his hands and held them in loose fists, his legs dangling just above the sofa seat. He breathed a sigh of relief and nuzzled his chest, breathing in the scent. It was like a drug that kept him calm, a soothing scent to help him fall asleep. The softness of his skin was his preference but his rainbow LGBT tee was just as good, soft as silk but warm as wool. Sometimes too warm.

~*~

Alec yawned. He had eaten a small dinner of some random pieces he found in the fridge, he didn't have much of an appetite. Now, he was tidying away his clothes since he insisted to do it 'the mundie way', no magic or runes involved. That hadn't already been applied anyway.

Magnus was feeding the Chairman, whistling Paul Mcartney's Christmas song 'Wonderful Christmas Time'. Alec grinned, he hated the song but t'was the season to be jolly! Well... It was late November but Magnus always liked to start early. Their decorations would be up before too long.

He sat back and admired the tidiness of the cupboard. Magnus never bothered and Alec simply couldn't stand the mess, he hated mess, nothing good came from it. Tidiness and organisation was good. Perhaps he was a little addicted to doing so, but a little tidiness never hurt no one. "Aaaaaaaleeeeeec?"

"Whaaaaaaaat?" He mimicked his tone and smirked.

"I need you in the kiiitcheeeeen."

No he didn't. As soon as Alec walked in, the Chairman ran past making Alec twirl round in surprise when he landed smack into Magnus. Magnus then bent down and held his face, kissing him softly. Alec was stunned for a moment, hesitating before closing his eyes and kissing back, leaning against Magnus.

They laced their arms round each other and when Alec pulled away, they stood in the doorway hugging. Alec's head against Magnus' chest, arms round his waist and their bodies just about touching below the belt. Magnus stroked Alec's hair softly, fiddling with his bangy fringe. "Hey.. Magnus?" Alec said at almost a whisper.

"Yes, sweet pea?"

"I love you." He nuzzled his chest and smiled widely.

Magnus smiled back and kissed the top of his head, "I love you too...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm amazed people even read this!! Thanks to everyone who did and patiently waited what was probably months on end for a new chapter!! 
> 
> If messaging is possible (I'm a noob to this site I'm sorry) and you want me to write more Malec, message me! I get email notifications!
> 
> Maybe see you in the future? ~Fiz

**Author's Note:**

> Oh my god if you're reading these I love you! It means you bothered to read the chapter :'3 thank yooou!


End file.
